Fernande B. Leblond

Portland, ME- Fernande B. Leblond passed away peacefully in her home, in the presence of her family, on November 30, 2025. She had just celebrated her 96th birthday the week before.

She was born in Lewiston, ME, on November 19, 1929, a daughter of Lucien and Emma (Vachon) Bouchard.

She attended St. Peter’s elementary school in Lewiston, Mount Merici Academy in Waterville and Lewiston High School. She graduated from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Lewiston, where she continued to work as an emergency and surgical nurse for many years.

She married Frederic Leblond on March 7, 1952 and started their family in Lewiston. In 1969 the family moved to Portland, where the family continued to grow. She also continued her nursing career at the Osteopathic Hospital on Brighton Ave as well as various private practices and several summer camps throughout Maine. She was an occupational nurse for the U.S. Postal Service in Portland as well as with Liberty Mutual Insurance in the workers’ compensation division.

After retirement, she continued to volunteer in the Pastoral Care departments of Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital and spent many years volunteering at Good Cause Thrift Store in Portland. She loved helping those in need and it was not uncommon for her to ‘volunteer’ anyone of her children to do the same.

She was predeceased by her dear son David (1979), her only sister Raymonde Lauze (2012) and her beloved husband of 63 years, Frederic (2015).

She is survived by her children, Jacqueline Royles of New Gloucester, Gerard [wife Theresa Beaty] of Jamesville, NY., Michelle (Ambrose) Anne and Paul both of Portland and Marc [wife Rachel Bedard] of Fort Collins, CO.

She adored her 7 grandchildren: Christine (Royles) Morrilly, Stephen Royles, Alexander and Michaela Leblond, Sydney (Ambrose) Horkan, Nova Ambrose and Hanna Rose. She was also very blessed and bragged about her 6 great-grandchildren: Talan, Kieran, Jaxon, Aaro, Naia and Theodora.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 pm on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland. Burial will follow at St. Peter Cemetery, 217 Switzerland Rd., Lewiston.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Fernande’s online guest book.