Sir Robert Gosselin

Robert Gosselin, 96, most recently of Saint Johns FL, previously of Deltona FL, departed to rejoin his beloved wife Ann on Saturday February 13, 2021. His family was sitting beside him, loving him and cherishing every final minute.

Bob was born on December 12, 1924 in Berlin, NH to Joseph Gideon Gosselin and Clara (LaFleur) Gosselin. He was graduated in 1940 from the College of the Sacred Heart in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. (He loved to sing “O Canada” whenever asked!) He earned a Masters Degree magna cum laude from the School of Hard Knocks. He was posthumously awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) by Aidan University.

Always the patriot, he attempted to join the United States Marine Corps shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They would not enlist him due to his age, so Bob moved to Portsmouth NH to assist the war effort by working in the shipyards. He eventually enlisted in the United States Army, and was graduated from boot camp at Fort Devens, MA on Sept 7, 1943. He was deployed to France where he served as a combat engineer. Seriously injured in an explosion while removing a booby-trapped road blockade, he was awarded the Purple Heart. After a lengthy recovery, Corporal Gosselin refused the offer to be discharged and insisted on returning to active duty. He was assigned to supervise prisoners of war at the Quartermaster Depot Supply Co in Verdun, France. He received an award for outstanding military service in May of 1945. He was discharged with the rank of Corporal, and was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans.

On June 30, 2015, at the direction of the President of France, Sir Robert was knighted upon induction into the French Legion of Honour by the Consul General of France to the United States. The Legion of Honour is the highest French order of merit. Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, it has been retained by all later French governments & régimes.

After the war, Bob resided in New Hampshire and Massachusetts with his first wife where they raised their children.

He met the love of his life while square dancing, and in 1975 Ann Connors became his wife and they began their forty-five-year love story. They moved to Florida in 1977, where they maintained a busy square-dancing schedule. They enjoyed travelling together, searching for and locating records of their ancestors in Canada and England. They also visited other countries in Europe, cruised the Caribbean, visited Russia, Egypt, Turkey, and China. Bob always said that, among their many travels, the most impactful nation he visited was Israel.

Ann departed for heaven first, and has been waiting for him there since January 31, 2020. Bob spoke often and longingly of the day they would be reunited. This year will be their best Valentine’s Day ever.

Sir Robert is survived by his children Jaclyn (Michael) Lamoureux, Julie (Peter) Della Monica, Abp. Robert (Patricia) Gosselin, Elizabeth (Brian) Arness and their children and grandchildren who will certainly miss their Pépère. Additionally, he is survived by his sister Jeanne Fortier and numerous loving nieces and nephews. Also left to miss him are his stepchildren Judy Connors (Clay) Tarver and Robert B. Connors, along with Ann’s sister, Joanne Kinney of Kansas, and many other grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Robert was preceded in death by his first wife Jeanne and their infant daughter Bobbe Ann Gosselin. He was also predeceased by his sisters Olive Vaillancourt, Blanche Hamanne and Marie Dion.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 16 at 3:00 pm at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, 815 E. Graves Avenue, Orange City FL 32763, interment will follow at Deltona Memorial Gardens, 1295 Saxon Boulevard, Orange City FL 32763.

The family respectfully requests no flowers, and that memorial donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 or at www.stjude.org.