Raymond Norman Lavoie

Raymond Norman Lavoie, 82 BRUNSWICK -- Raymond N. Lavoie, 82, of McLellan Street, died Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at a local hospital following a long illness. He was born in Fall River, Mass., on March 6, 1926, the son of Wilfred and Irma Jean Lavoie. He was educated in local schools there. In 1945 Ray moved to Topsham with his family and worked with his father on the family farm, Cloverleaf Dairy Farm. On May 10, 1952, he married Rolande L. Caron at St. John's Church in Brunswick. Ray worked for several years at Maine Shoe until its closing in the early seventies, he then went to work at Bath Iron Works as Maintenance Specialist on the #11 Crane, retiring in 2002 after thirty years of service. Ray loved working in his garden and was an expert handyman that was able to repair any machinery or solve any home repair problems. He also enjoyed working with his hands making different things such as wind chimes. He was a self taught computer wiz who spent many hours searching the net to find an existing milk bottle from the family farm, surprisingly he found one at restaurant in West Falmouth while having lunch with his daughter, and he was an avid sports fan and an excellent caretaker of his many Beta Fish. Ray was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus for 62 years. He is survived by his wife of 56 years; two sons, Norman R. Lavoie of Lisbon Falls, Donald J. Lavoie of Portland, two daughters, Joanne M. and her husband Mark Crepeau of Portland, Anne Marie Lavoie of Portland; four grandchildren, Michelle Crepeau of Portland, Matthew Crepeau of New Orleans, Andrea and Nathan Lavoie of Portland; a brother, Roger Lavoie of Enfield, Conn.; and many nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, March 6, 2009, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Demers-Desmond Funeral Home, 34 Cushing St., Brunswick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Andrew Gosselin officiating. Burial will be in the spring at St. John's Cemetery in Brunswick. Those who wish may make contributions in Ray's memory to either: St. John's Church or St. John's School 39 Pleasant St. Brunswick, Maine 04011