BANGOR and ST. JOHN VALLEY – Joel Morneault, 80, husband of Lise (Levesque) Morneault, died July 6, 2011, at his residence in Bangor. He was born June 4, 1931, in Madawaska, the oldest child of Abel D. Morneault and Nelida (Martin) Morneault.
In addition to his wife of 53 years, Lise, he is survived by three children, Denise and husband, William Gehman, of Orrington, Mark and wife, Lisa (Pelletier), of Fort Kent and Lynn and husband, Steven Goulas Jr., of Windham, N.H.; and grandchildren, Michelle Davis and her husband, JT, Kelly Gehman, Kurtis and Kate Morneault, and Steven III, Alexa and Dylan Goulas. Also surviving is a brother, Martin Morneault of St. David; a sister, Cecilia and her husband, Jim Plourde, of Madawaska; a sister-in-law, Rejeanne Morneault of Auburn; many nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his parents, Abel and Nelida Morneault; a brother, Elmer Morneault of Auburn; and a sister-in-law, Doris Morneault of St. David.
Joel Morneault’s early studies were in the St. John Valley. In Madawaska he attended Evangeline and St. Thomas schools, in St. Basile, New Brunswick, he attended Academie St. Joseph; and in St. Agatha he attended Notre Dame de la Sagesse. He then attended Sacred Heart University, Bathurst, New Brunswick. This was followed by Boston Conservatory of Music, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education and certificate in piano. This was followed by postgraduate studies at Boston University. His teaching career, for 31 years, was in the public schools as a band and choral director. He taught in Bucksport, Edmundston, New Brunswick, and Falmouth, and his last 18 years were in Fort Kent. Throughout these years, he also served as church organist and choir director. He had an honorary life membership with the Knights of Columbus and Joel was a third degree member of Council No. 1934 of Fort Kent. He was also a member of Maine State Retired Teachers Association, AGO-American Guild of Organists and Maine Music Educators Association. He played for dances for 35 years, banquets and weddings, including more than 600 receptions. He was a composer of various works for piano, organ, choirs, Masses, and vocal solos. With their three children now on their own, he and his wife, Lise, now retired, resided in Bangor, where he worked for a few years at Coastal Music Store. In his retirement, Joel, as an ecumenical organist, served 35 different churches in the Bangor area with 12 different denominations. He had researched and completed genealogy on his family tree back to his first ancestor who arrived from France 300 years ago. He then wrote and published four volumes of biographical family histories: I-Morneault, II-Martin, III-Autobiography and IV-Levesque and Soucy. Being fluent in the French language he had served as a bilingual medium doing readings in French or English. He had done Mediumship Reading at various galleries and circles and also private.
There will be no visiting hours. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, at St. Louis Catholic Church, Fort Kent. There will be a reception after the service. Placement of the cremains will be in the columbarium at Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eastern Maine HomeCare, care of Healthcare Charities, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402-0931. Those who wish may email written condolences to markm@pmd-cpa.com.