Corinne Lapointe Bartlett

Corinne Lapointe Bartlett, 85, of Portland, a caring mother and grandmother who worked 30 years for Key Bank, died Tuesday morning August 25, 2015 after a long illness.

Mrs. Bartlett worked evenings in the checks clearing department at Canal National Bank, which later merged with Key Bank, all while tending to her primary job of raising her seven children.

She was born in far northern Cyr Plantation in the St. John Valley, the daughter of O’Neil J. and Doris Gunn Lapointe where she graduated from an all French speaking Catholic High School in Van Buren. Her father, O’Neil Lapointe was a potato farmer and the inventor of the potato harvester, and he held the patent on his machine from 1944 until the early 1960s.

Corinne attended secretarial school in New York City, and as a young woman she worked at First National City Bank in Manhattan and later in Presque Isle. She married Stephen James Bartlett in 1951 and they lived in Connecticut, Cape Elizabeth and Bangor before settling in Portland’s East Deering neighborhood in 1964.

Corinne took a keen interest in the lives of her children and grandchildren , and helped them any way she could, with babysitting, or by preparing meals or giving rides to school. During her retirement, she helped daughter Becky in the operation of Becky’s Diner on Commercial Street, mostly behind the scenes. She would dine there every day just to visit with her many friends and family members who worked at the diner.

She enjoyed old television comedies, such as "Andy Griffith", “I Love Lucy” and “The Honeymooners" and especially enjoyed spending time at the family cottage at Bailey’s Island.

She was a communicant of St. Pius X Catholic Church.

She was predeceased by a sister; Patricia Donohue, her 3 brothers; Robert Lapointe, William Lapointe, and Stephen Lapointe.

Besides her beloved husband, Stephen James Bartlett of Portland, she leaves 3 sons; Paul J. and his wife Carol Bartlett of South Portland, Stephen William and his wife Cindy Bartlett of Portland, and Capt. Christopher O. and his wife Elise Limoge Bartlett of Morrisville, VT, 4 daughters; Rosemary and her husband Joseph Unnold of Cape Elizabeth, Rebecca B. “Becky” Rand of Falmouth, Katherine S. and her husband John Mathews of Scarborough, and Millicent B. and her husband Brian Norton of Falmouth, a sister, Rosemary Lapointe of Manhattan, NY, 20 grandchildren; Gretchen Brinkler, Mark Rand, Stephanie Rand, Katie Madden, Zachary Rand, Annie Unnold, Sarah Cohen, Luke Rand, Angela Mathews, Joey Unnold, Stephen Bartlett, Melanie Mathews, Sam Norton, Miranda Bartlett, Michael Norton, Vanessa Mathews, Christopher Bartlett, Jacqueline Bartlett, Lizzy Norton, Veronique Bartlett, and 14 Great-Grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to a time of visitation which will be held Friday August 28, 2015 from 3 to 6PM at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St where a Celebration of Corinne’s Life will follow at 6PM at the funeral home. Interment will be private. Those wishing to send a tribute or in need of further service details please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com

If so desired, contributions may be made in Corinne’s memory to Honor Flight Maine, 1001 Westbrook Street, Portland, ME. 04102 or to Maine Special Olympics, 125 John Roberts Road, #19, South Portland, ME. 04106