EAST MILLINOCKET – Denis J. “Denny” Leclerc, 84, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at a Millinocket hospital. He was born April 6, 1927, in the province of Quebec, son of Adelard and Yvonne (Dupont) Leclerc.
As a young boy, Denny’s mother passed away, and his father passed away when Denny was 14, leaving Denny to go to work and tend to his own needs. Despite having no formal education, he was able to go far and do well for himself, applying a well-earned reputation for hard work and ingenuity. He taught himself to speak the English language, as French was his native tongue.
He also taught himself to write and was able to figure out what he needed to when presented with the need for reading. Denny worked as a logger and came to East Millinocket to work for Great Northern Paper Co. in the early 1950s. He worked at the mill for 34 years, retiring in 1987. Throughout his career, Denny generally kept a side project going, building decks, steps or doing some general carpentry work for friends and neighbors, or painting, or chopping, stacking and selling wood, or other odd jobs. Denny also enjoyed buying vehicles on the side of the road and bringing them home to resell. He didn’t put a “For Sale” sign on these vehicles, it was generally known that if there was an extra car in Denny’s yard, it was for sale.
His reputation for doing this was quite well known throughout the region, and for a period of time, he sold vehicles for Prouty Ford, Dover-Foxcroft, in this same manner. Denny enjoyed people and his quick wit and pleasant, outgoing personality will be missed by those who knew him. He began following Schenck High School sporting events when his son, Allen, began playing.
He continued attending games, especially basketball, both at home and on the road, until recently, when his health prevented him from continuing. In his retirement years, Denny enjoyed wintering in Florida and summering in Maine, where he and his wife, Claudette, spent much time traveling in their camper, going to Canada, visiting the “fair circuit,” and realizing a lifelong dream of going to Alaska. Denny was an avid outdoorsman, spending much time hunting and fishing, and imparting this love of the outdoors to his grandson, Ben, who was a regular companion. He lived a full life and a good life, and made it good for his family.
Denny is survived by his wife of 54 years, Claudette (Levesque) Leclerc of East Millinocket; two children, Allen Leclerc and his wife, Rebecca, of East Millinocket and Denise Beaudry and her husband, Edward, of Middletown, Conn.; four grandchildren, Katelyn Leclerc, Edward Beaudry III, Benjamin Leclerc and Dennis Beaudry; a great-granddaughter, Aubrey Leclerc Turcotte; siblings, Laureel Leclerc, Ruth Leclerc, Leona Leclerc, Monette Cyr, Aliette Leclerc, Zelfrid Leclerc and Mariette Leclerc; many nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, Denny was predeceased by four brothers and two sisters.
Friends are invited to visit with the family 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Lamson Funeral Home, 11 Tamarack St., Millinocket. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church of Christ the Divine Mercy Parish, 58 Cedar St., East Millinocket, with Deacon Danny Watson presiding. Spring interment will be at East Millinocket Cemetery. Gifts in memory of Denny may be sent to Katahdin Area Support Group, 10 Field St., Millinocket, ME 04462. Messages of condolence may be expressed at
www.lamsonfh.com.