VAN BUREN – Gilbert J. Violette, 93, died May 7, 2012, at a Van Buren health care facility. He was born Nov. 12, 1918, in Van Buren, the son of Emile and Emma (Lapointe) Violette.
He was married to Edna Laplante for 58 years. Gilbert was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Mediterranean Theatre in Italy in the 5th Army as a staff sergeant for two and a half years. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1936 to 1937, stationed in Princeton. He was an active member of American Legion Levasseur-Farrell Post No. 49, Van Buren, serving as post commander in 1988-1989, and a member of the 40 and 8 Society. Gilbert was a former member of Knights of Columbus Council No. 1635, as well as the Fourth Degree Assembly, Van Buren. He was chief of police in Van Buren for three years and also served on the Van Buren Economic Development Committee. Before he moved his family to Boston and Ipswich, Mass., where he lived for 33 years, he belonged to the International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 4, Boston, operating a variety of heavy equipment and also delved in the real estate business while in Boston. Gilbert retired in 1981 when he moved from Boston to Van Buren, where he was very active in his retirement years, working part time as a night watchman at the former Van Buren Community Hospital, also part time for eight years as an attendant at Ouellette-Thibault Funeral Home. Gilbert was an avid sportsman who enjoyed bird hunting and fly-fishing, especially the Canadian rivers for brook trout and Atlantic salmon. He enjoyed downhill skiing all of his life and did so until the age of 85. He was a member and director for the Van Buren area of the Atlantic salmon for the Upper St. John River and its tributaries.
He is survived by one son, Steve Violette of Wrentham, Mass.; three daughters, Patricia Anderson and husband, John, of Dedham, Mass., Gail Violette and Dale Violette, both of Ipswich, Mass.; four grandchildren, Judy, John, Andrea and Denise; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by five brothers, Leon, Lawrence, Donat, Romeo and Michael; and by three sisters, Stella, Hilda and Anita.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at St. Bruno-St. Remi Catholic Church, Van Buren. Interment with military honors will be afterward in the parish cemetery. Funeral arrangements are a service of Ouellette-Thibault Funeral Home, 118 High St., Van Buren. To leave online condolences, please visit
www.ouellettefuneralhome.com.