Waterville – Earl R. Rancourt, 85, of Waterville, passed peacefully from this life to the next on Tuesday August 21, 2018. He was born in Waterville on January 29, 1933, one of seven children of Evelyn (Mathieu) and E. Albert Rancourt. He was educated in local schools and graduated from Waterville High School.
Earl first worked as a shipping clerk at C.F. Hathaway Shirt Company. His life took a turn when he was asked to become Treasurer/Manager of the Notre Dame Federal Credit Union in Waterville serving in many leadership positions. Through the years he assisted other local credit unions in their efforts to reorganize as the credit union “landscape” evolved. He held various executive positions with the Kennebec Valley Chapter of Credit Unions and was recognized as the first recipient of the Maine Credit Union League’s James M. Gatto Award for Outstanding Credit Union Manager. He went on to serve as the National Director of the Credit Union National Association for several years. Earl was further recognized with the Maine Credit Union League President’s Award for Outstanding Credit Union for his service on the Board of Directors and Governmental Affairs Committee. Earl retired as President/CEO of Notre Dame Waterville FCU in 1998.
The expression, “Behind every great man is a great woman”, truly applied to Earl and his wife Annette as they worked tirelessly together for the Credit Union where if you saw one you saw the other. In 2014, Earl and Annette were the recipients of the Spirit of America Volunteers of the Year for their 15 years of service to the City of Waterville as warden and ward clerk. Earl was a member of the board of North Pond Association many years and served as its president for two.
In his spare time Earl liked to “putter” around the house with home improvement projects. Earl’s motto was “Do it right and be proud of doing your best.” Camp life gave Earl the place to unwind. Camp was casual and all were welcomed and having family there, especially the grandchildren, was all Earl needed to experience, “Life is good”. A generous man through and through he readily gave of his time and talent and served as a role model for his children, simply by being who he was as a man. “Your word is your bond”.
Earl is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annette (Giguere) Rancourt; his son Gerry Rancourt and his wife Karen and their children: Ryan Rancourt, John Rancourt, Todd Rancourt and his wife Jenn, Jill Merckens and her husband Jefferey; his daughter Denise LaFrance and her husband Dan and their children: Crystal Colello and her husband Josh, Jeff LaFrance and his fiancé Amber Costigan, Kelley LaFrance and her companion Drew Glasheen; six great-grandchildren: Rylee, Bridgette and Alex Rancourt, Owen and Olivia Colello, Rory Costigan, a seventh great-grandchild is on the way who will be named Todd, Jr.; one brother David Rancourt and his wife Pat; three sisters: Joyce Purnell and her husband Francis, Arlene Jones and her husband Gordon, Celeste Harris and her husband David, his sister-in-law Muriel Rancourt, his brother-in-law Robert Lachance, as well as quite a few nieces and nephews. Earl was predeceased by his brother Carl Rancourt and his sister Shirley Lachance.
Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 2-4 and 5-7, August 26, 2018 at Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Waterville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 11:00 am August 27, 2018 at Notre Dame Catholic Church, 112 Silver Street, Waterville with burial following at Saint Francis Catholic Cemetery, 78 Grove Street, Waterville. Please visit www.veilleuxfuneralhome.com to view a video collage of Earl’s life and to share condolences, memories and tributes with his family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Earl’s memory to: North Pond Association, PO Box 44, Smithfield, ME 04978 or Pine Tree Camp, Pine Tree Society 149 Front Street, Bath, ME 04530 or Ending Hunger Campaign, New Dimensions Credit Union, c/o Sharon Storti, 61 Grove Street, Waterville, ME 04901.
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