OLD ORCHARD BEACH and NAPLES, Fla. – Carol LeBrun Lebel, 62, passed away peacefully Sept. 18, 2011, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Scarborough. Carol was born Jan. 18, 1949, in Van Buren, the first of three daughters to Emile LeBrun Jr. and Annette Sirois LeBrun.
Carol was cherished by family and friends for her loving personality, her heart full of giving, and her immensely caring spirit. She was the family’s pillar of love and strength, and was a sister, friend and mother figure to many. Whether planning a social gathering or family meal, creating a clothing ensemble for herself or a friend, or decorating one of her homes, Carol displayed her sense of style, colorful creativity, sense of humor and warmth. She loved to spend time with her friends shopping, going to lunch and enjoying an afternoon at the beach. She was a master of brain games such as Cryptoquip and Sudoku, and was known to rack up the points against her opponents when playing Scrabble. She enjoyed travel and made trips to London, Canada, California and New Mexico, but she especially looked forward to her annual trek to Florida, where she could be in the warm sunshine. We’ll fondly remember her driving with the top down! Carol excelled in all of her schooling, and graduated from Van Buren High School in 1967. She met her husband to be, Delano Lebel, while in high school and they were married March 29, 1969, at St. Bruno’s Catholic Church, Van Buren. Her education and career spanned several years. Carol spent a summer at Universit‚ Laval, Quebec, refining her knowledge of the French language, and went on to study at Husson College, the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and the University of Southern Maine, where she earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and a certificate of administration. Her spirited leadership and compassion will be remembered by her co-workers and students from Biddeford High School, where
she served as special education coordinator; Van Buren SAD 24, where she taught special education and served as a teacher’s aide to kindergarten students; and Falmouth High School, where she completed her career with a one-year assignment after her retirement from Biddeford School Department. She was known and respected as a strong advocate for her school kids, as well as her special education department, and she instinctively knew how to care for and motivate her team.
Carol is survived by her husband of 42 years, Delano “Dee” Lebel of Old Orchard Beach and Naples, Fla.; and sons, Jeffrey James of Biddeford, and Michael Daniel and wife, Lynette Herscha, of Lexington, Mass. She is also survived by her two sisters, Gail LeBrun of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Nicki LeBrun Heupel and her husband, Loel, of Carmichael, Calif. Her most treasured family members were her four grandchildren, Tyler Lebel, 14, and Brandon Lebel, 12, sons of Jeffrey; and Matthew Lebel, 14, and Olivia Herscha Lebel, 1, children of Michael. Carol was an avid fan of her grandsons’ sporting events, and her granddaughter, Olivia, filled Carol’s heart with great joy in her final year. She has also left behind many aching hearts in her dear friends, Helen, Chris, Nancy, Carol and Debbie, who shared many fun girlfriend days with Carol, and nurtured her with love and laughter through her challenging medical issues. Carol will be missed by the Lebel family in-laws; multiple LeBrun and Sirois cousins; co-workers and colleagues from around the state of Maine; and many, many extended family friends. Carol was predeceased by her mother, Annette and father, Emile, in 1973. The family sends thanks to the caring and compassionate staffs at Maine Medical Center Gibson Pavilion and Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.
A memorial service will be held for Carol 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Most Holy Trinity Church, 271 Main St., Saco. Arrangements are by Hope Memorial Chapel, 480 Elm St., Biddeford. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at www.ocrf.org or Maine Medical Center Gibson Pavilion at fundraising.mmc.org. To share condolences online, please visit
www.HopeMemorial.com.
Carol, may you always
enjoy sunshine and beautiful
surroundings. Soft as
descending wings fell the
calm of the hour on her spirit.
We love you Carol.