Lee Lajoie

Lee Lajoie

Pembroke, NH - Lee G. Lajoie, age 62, succumbed to ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) on December 24, 2024 at Concord Hospital, with his family by his side.

A life-long resident of NH, Lee was born in Concord, the second son of Leo G. and Caryl (Burbank) Lajoie, where he was raised with his three brothers, Stephen, Kenneth and Thomas. Lee attended Saint John's Regional School and Bishop Brady High School, which provided a solid Christian foundation for his life-long personal and professional development. Upon graduation, he knew he wanted to be an electrical engineer and immediately enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston, MA where he spent several Co-ops working with Public Service Company of NH, now Eversource, and Northeastern University in Boston MA.

Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and began working for Public Service Company of NH full time in 1984. He served as a mentor for many young engineers while working in the Laconia, Hooksett and Manchester offices. He was a wealth of knowledge and the first guy to call when there was a problem. Lee was also a skilled electrician as his family and friends can attest. While working full time, he obtained an MBA from Southern NH University and later became a Manager of Systems Resiliency for the balance of his Eversource Career. Lee was an accomplished power distribution engineer, providing expert testimony to the NH Public Utilities Commission and was highly respected by his coworkers throughout his 37-year career. Lee retired from Eversource in the summer of 2021 and was diagnosed with ALS in November of that year.

Lee was an avid hockey player and referee. For over 20 years, he skated with the Laconia Hockey Legends. He was also an accomplished and respected ice hockey referee. He was certified as a USA Hockey official for almost 20 years from 1995 to 2014 and for the National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) from 2006 to 2014. Lee was a mentor to younger officials and was a frequent contributor to USA Hockey's training clinics during his active officiating years. Lee had to hang up his skates when ALS robbed him of his ability to maintain his balance on the ice.

Lee also enjoyed motorcycling on his BMW, completing trips to the "Tail of the Dragon" in North Carolina and a cross country trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota with his buddy Al,for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2019. Lee and his brother Tom enjoyed many adventures on their Russian URALs - motorcycles with a sidecar. (The details of which are omitted here to protect the innocent- wink.) Lee's retirement plans included taking all the stellar rides in the US and in Europe. He had to sell two of his four motorcycles and gifted his favorites to his brother and son when ALS robbed him of any grip strength. Lee lost his ability to drive a car in 2023.

Lee led by example at home and in his community, giving the gifts of time and talent to the Capital Regional Food Program and the Concord Community Players. In 2019 Lee was awarded the Volunteer Hero Award by the Capital Region Food program for recognition of his outstanding service and commitment. In 1995 he was given the Osy Strong award by the Concord Community Players for service above and beyond the duties of membership. Although his onstage career peaked in high school, he remained active backstage and involved with the NH High School Drama competitions for many years.

Lee was a gadget-hound and was always in search of unique abor-saving devices. He loved to cook and would bring everything but the kitchen sink to the annual family gatherings at The SeaWitch in Surry and Camp Kwitchabitchin in Ellsworth Maine. Lee's love of gadgets served him well as he adapted to the progressive loss of physical functionality brought about by ALS.

Lee is survived by his parents, Leo and Caryl Lajoie; his wife of two years, Anne (Godbout) Lajoie; his daughter, Devon (Drewes) Morrill and her husband Keith of Vergennes VT; his son Artie Drewes and his wife Annie of Brunswick ME; his brother Stephen and his wife Kim of Pocasset MA; his brother Ken and his wife Teri of Manchester NH; his brother Tom and his wife Carol Leonard, of Ellsworth Maine and his grandchildren, Emerson, Elias, Evangeline and Kellan, as well as his niece Rachel and his grandniece Emerald.

Visiting hours will be held on Tues, January 7th from 4-6 PM at The Waters Funeral Home, 50 South Main Street, Concord, NH.

A Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 8th at 10 AM, at Christ the King Parish, 72 South Main Street, Concord, NH.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease which results in progressive muscle weakness and paralysis. Eventually ALS affects all of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. The exact cause of the disease remains unknown although 10% of cases are genetically linked. Life expectancy is 3 to 5 years and there is still no cure for this fatal disease. Lee made it 3 years and one month from his date of diagnosis.

Please consider a donation to the ALS Association of Northern New England https://www.als.org, or a donation to NH Catholic Charities in Lee's memory.