Emma I. Baillargeon

She was born January 17 1917, in Lewiston, Maine to Wilfred and Imelda (Bazinet) Dufresne. She was married to Cyrille Baillargeon at St. Peter’s Church on May 10, 1941. They had been married 68 years when her husband died on January 27, 2010.

Emma was proud to have worked at the Hill Mill and Clark Shoe. She was caretaker for over 40 children in her home before daycares came into being all while raising her own five children.

She was a member of Holy Family Church for 66 years where she belonged to the Ladies of St. Anne and had been chosen mother of the year. As a young woman, she belonged to the drill team of La Guarde Evangeline, Association de L’Assomption. Emma was also a member of the Marchands et Marchandes de Bonheur at Marcotte Home where she volunteered for the elderly, worked for the senior citizen bingo at Holy Family Church and helped with the elderly at d’Youville Pavilion for nine years. At the age of 85, we thought it was great to hear them say they had to go help the “old” people in the nursing home.

She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren playing card games and especially Dominos once a week on Tuesday (what she called her night out). Family meant everything to her. She also loved to work alongside her husband raising their own food from their well tended garden. She had a kind heart, was always ready to help and truly was a member of the greatest generation with her selflessness, work ethic, love for people, stubbornness, fun loving spirit, humility and deep faith. She will be greatly missed by all. You could truly say she embodied the spirit of Faith, Hope and Love.

She is survived by her two sons, Richard and his wife, Constance (Boisclair), of Lisbon and Leo and his wife, Gail (Lagasse), of Lewiston; three daughters Rachel Desgrosseilliers of Minot, Cecile and husband Andre Langlois, and Anita and her husband Paul Grenier of Lewiston; two grandsons, Troy Baillargeon and his wife Sarah (Allen) of North Granby, CT, and Shawn Langlois and his fiancé (Kimberly Francis) of Lewiston; six granddaughters Ronda (Baillargeon) and her husband Michael Lecompte, of Lewiston, Kim (Baillargeon) and her husband Steve Hachey, of Winthrop, Doris (Grenier) and her husband William Webb, of Blue Hill, Julie (Grenier) and her husband Jason Laplante of Lewiston, Celeste (Langlois) and her husband Daniel Horan, of Windham, NH, and Amanda (Baillargeon) and her husband Robert DeFlumere of Lewiston, three step-granddaughters Jane Desgrosseilliers, of AZ, Susan Desgrosseilliers, of Portland and Diana (Desgrosseilliers) and her husband Simon Castle, of Rockport; 13 great-grandchildren Logan Lecompte US Navy, of Italy, Lauren Lecompte, of Lewiston, Mark Hachey, of VT, Adam Hachey, of Winthrop, Isaac Webb, of GA., Liam Webb of Blue Hill, Xavier and Zoe Laplante of Lewiston, Eleanor, Hannah and Bradley Baillargeon, of North Granby, CT., and Emma and Chloe DeFlumere, of Lewiston; six step great-grandchildren Garrett Thorbjornson, of Thomaston, Erika Thorbjornson of Warren, Alexandra MacMillan, of Boston, Emily MacMillan, of Portland, Oliver and Larson Castle of Rockport; one step great great-grandson Gary Thorjornsen Pratt of Warren. She is survived by one sister-in-law that meant very much to her Simone MacKenzie of Sidney.

She was predeceased by her husband, infant daughter Doris Baillargeon; three sisters, Delima, Alice and Grace and four brothers, Willfred, Tony, Augustine and Rosario as well as a son-in-law, Harvey Desgrosseilliers.

The family would like to thank the staff at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, especially Dr. Kurt Oswald who showed great caring as well as the Hospice House for the compassionate care they gave our loving mom during her last unexpected days with us.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at www.lynchbrothers.com.

BAILLARGEON – Emma, 100, of Lewiston, died in Auburn February 4. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held FRIDAY at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Church. Committal prayer’s to follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations preferred in Emma’s memory to Museum L/A, 35 Canal St., Box A-7 Lewiston, ME 04240 or to the Rev. Father Robert Lacasse for his mission in Bolivia. Envelopes will be provided at the funeral home. Visitation Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at PINETTE DILLINGHAM & LYNCH FUNERAL HOME, 305 Alfred A. Plourde Parkway, Lewiston, ME 04240.