Mr. John Guy Letourneau

Born January 18, 1939 in Berlin, NH, the only child of Conrad and Aline (Poulin) Letourneau, John lived his entire life in Winslow, ME, where his parents had emigrated from St. Come, Quebec, Canada. John and his family traveled to Canada often and received visitors from numerous relatives throughout Quebec. After graduating from Winslow High School in 1957, John received a Medical Technology Certificate from the Carnegie Institute in Boston, MA in 1958.

John worked for over 30 years at the Waterville Osteopathic Hospital (now Inland Hospital), where he met his wife of nearly 47 years, Roberta (DeRocher) Letourneau. They were married in Winslow in 1963. John and Roberta raised their four sons in Winslow, where John was on the school board from 1982 to 1989 and where they were active members of the high school band boosters club. John completed his career at Waterville Osteopathic Hospital as the Laboratory Manager, and worked for several more years at Avian Farms as a microbiologist, and then briefly at York Hospital and Maine General Augusta campus as a medical phlebotomist. He was an active member of the American Medical Technologists for many years, serving as president for several.

Following retirement, John and Roberta were very involved with the Central Maine Squares square dance club, where they made many very close and long-lasting friendships and traveled the country for national square dance conventions. They also traveled frequently to visit their children and grandchildren in Maine, North Carolina, and Florida. In recent years, they spent several warm winters on Anna Maria Island, FL.

John was a consummate host and always made people feel comfortable, welcome, and at ease. With wit, innate charm, and just the right sense of humor, John could make anyone feel like they’d known him for years. Always outgoing, John loved to tell funny jokes and family stories from his French-Canadian heritage. His outgoing nature will live on in his children, as will the funny stories he told time and time again.

John was predeceased by his mother, who died in 1970, and his father and step-mother (Annette), both of whom died in 1985. John is survived by his wife of almost 47 years, Roberta, and their four sons and their families: Marc, his wife Elaine (Helie) and sons Christian and Gabriel Letourneau of Saco, ME; Eric, his wife Cheryl (Perkins) and sons Eric Jr. and Dalton Letourneau of Clinton, ME; Robert J. Letourneau and his partner Russell E. Burns of Durham, NC; and Stephen, his wife Erin (Bates), and daughters Eliza, Anna, and Isabelle Letourneau of Greenwich, CT.

The entire Letourneau family offers its warmest and deepest gratitude to the nurses and nurse aides of HealthReach Hospice of Kennebec Valley, particularly Michelle Mercier and Lori Martin. Their caring comfort and support helped to sustain John and family members during the ten weeks of in-home hospice care. They would also like to thank the staff at the Alfond Cancer Center in Augusta, particularly Dr. Robin Locke, for the care and support provided while John pursued treatment.

Visiting hours will be held 2-4 & 7-9PM Monday May 31, 2010 at Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm St., Waterville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9 AM Tuesday June 1, 2010 at St. John the Baptist Church Winslow. Burial will follow in St. Francis Cemetery Waterville. Following the burial a reception will be held at in the Parish hall at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church 21 high street Fairfield. For those inclined to honor John’s memory, donations can be made in his name to the Maine Cancer Foundation (www.mainecancer.org) or to one of his favorite charities, the St. Joseph Indian School, 1301 N. Main Street, Chamberlain, SD 57326.