Edmund Edward Saucier Jr.

Waterville--Edmund Edward Saucier, Jr. (83) passed away peacefully at his home on February 8, 2012. He was born on June 17, 1928 in Waterville, Maine, a son of Edmund E. Saucier, Sr. and Lucille (Poulin) Saucier.

The oldest of fourteen children , Ed worked early in life with his family members who moved between central Maine and central Massachusetts following employment opportunities. As an adolescent, he was one of the youngest woolen mill mule spinners in Massachusetts.

Ed enlisted when he was sixteen years old and served in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1946, received an honorable discharge in 1947 with the rank of sergeant. In 1950 he married Joanne Joler whom he met while they were both working at Park’s Diner in Waterville. They started a family that grew to ten children and sixteen grandchildren, all who knew them as Mem and Pep. Ed joined the Waterville Police force in 1955 and served twenty-eight years as a patrolman, traffic sergeant, juvenile officer, and K-9 officer. He was tirelessly active with community youth as school liaison, athletic coach and on various fundraising efforts for children’s causes including the Pine Tree Camp and the local Jimmy Fund. Ed received numerous commendations for his contributions to the community and local youth. In 1971, the Waterville Exchange Club named him Policeman of the Year. After retiring from the Police Department in 1982, he and Joanne traveled extensively in the northeast until he returned to work as a court officer for the Augusta District Court and the Kennebec County Superior Court.

Ed was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church and served as a president of its Parish Council. He was among the first group of eucharistic ministers at the church and taught Saturday religion education classes at Sacred Heart School for over a decade. In civic affairs, he was a member of the Waterville Elks Lodge 905 and the American Legion Post 5. He was active as board member and coach in Waterville Youth athletics including Little League baseball, Pop Warner football, and Waterville Youth Hockey.

An accomplished athlete in his own right, he was a charter member of the Central Maine Softball League in Waterville and played centerfielder and was leadoff hitter for the Waterville Police Department team. Ed was an avid golfer and played as a member of Waterville Country Club , Natanis Golf Club and Pine Ridge Golf Course, where he scored a hole-in-one. His other interests included amateur radio and hunting and fishing as a long time Registered Maine Guide.

He is survived by ten children: Michael Saucier and Paula Craighead of South Freeport, Jon Saucier and Nancy Poulin of Jefferson, Sandra Bard and Andy Heckler of Cape Cod, MA, Cathy and Dirk Kershner of Oakland, Daniel and Brenda Saucier of Waterville, James and Jean Saucier of Belgrade, Peter and Lori Saucier of Brunswick, Patricia and John Bearce of Winslow, Paul and Susan Saucier of Waterville and Susan Saucier Surette of Waterville and her companion Clint Southard of Palmyra; and sixteen grandchildren Joshua Kershner of Nantucket, MA, Jillian Saucier of Cambridge, MA, Matthew Saucier and his fiance Erika Dexter, Aaron Saucier, Andrew Saucier, Kelley Saucier, Jericah Saucier, Nathan Surette, and Abigail Saucier all of Waterville, Jodi Willey and husband Jeremy of Owls Head, Britney Michaud and husband Jacob of Oakland, Sarah Saucier and her fiance Christopher Deslandes of Vassalboro, Liza Saucier, Alexis Saucier, and Kelsey Saucier all of Belgrade, and Christopher Jacques of Winslow.

He is also survived by eight siblings: Bernice Desilets, Jean Ethier and Donald Saucier of Uxbridge, MA, Patricia Rousselle and Deborah McMahon of North Smithfield, RI, Bernard Saucier and Gary Saucier of Worcester, MA, and John Saucier of Whitinsville, MA.

Ed was predeceased by wife Joanne Joler Saucier in 2002; one infant daughter, Caroline and sisters Lorraine Bernier and Shirley Dempsey, and brothers Phillip Saucier, Paul Saucier and Richard Saucier.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church at 9am on Saturday, February 11, 2012. Burial will take place in the spring at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in his memory to : Pine Tree Camp, 114 Pine Tree Camp Road, Rome ME 04963 or online at www.pinetreesociety.org or the charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Waterville.