Raymond J. Lagueux

LEWISTON-Raymond J. Lagueux, 80, of Lewiston, Maine died peacefully at home on December 22, 2025 from complications of Parkinson's disease.
Born in Lewiston, Maine on June 25, 1945, son of Viateur B. and Anne (Fliss) Lagueux, Ray spent nearly all of his life in Lewiston, a city and community he was tremendously proud of and to which he devoted countless hours of support in innumerable ways. He attended St. Peter's School and, after a five-year family move to Framingham, Massachusetts, St. Patrick's School. At Lewiston High School, he was manager of the ice hockey team and a member of the Key Club, the Future Teachers of America, and the National Honor Society. He studied French and German at Providence College, where he sought (and received) permission to read some of the scandalous titles on the Church's Index of Forbidden Books and dressed for Halloween as Johann Tetzel, the sixteenth-century Dominican friar known for his aggressive peddling of indulgences.
He met Susan Dallaire, the love of his life, during their sophomore year at Lewiston High School. At age 15, they went on their first date to the Christmas formal, kicking off a sixty-four year relationship filled with adventure, love, and Sue imploring Ray to hurry up-a request he declined with impressive consistency, up to and including his final days. Married days after Ray's college graduation in 1967, Sue and Ray moved to Columbus, Ohio, where they received master's degrees in French language and literature at Ohio State University. They then returned to Lewiston where-apart from a memorable and oft-discussed year living in Fribourg, Switzerland-they lived for the rest of their lives.
A natural-born teacher, Ray taught French language and literature throughout his life at a variety of institutions, including Framingham State Teachers College (now University of Maine Farmington), where he founded the modern languages department; University of Southern Maine (Lewiston–Auburn College); and Lewiston Adult Education. Before retirement, he worked at O'Brien Consolidated Industries, the family-run business that Sue was president of. He almost never complained about his boss.
He advocated tirelessly for the city of Lewiston, the French–Canadian community, and French and francophone culture. He was an active member and director of the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce and a local coordinator of the Forum Francophone des Affaires (which he represented internationally during a memorable trip to Vietnam). He served for years on the board of Maine Family Federal Credit Union, and devoted over a decade to the Franco Center, where he served as secretary, vice-chair, chair, and later interim executive director. In 2016, he was inducted into the State of Maine's Franco–American Hall of Fame. The official proclamation noted his encouragement to his Franco–American students "to think positively, be confident, and understand that their dialect or accent is valid and universally acceptable."
A man of strong faith, Ray was an active member of Ste. Famille/Holy Family Parish, where he served as a lector and eucharistic minister for years. He took his responsibilities seriously, coordinating lector schedules and quietly practicing the week's readings under his breath before Mass. Unfailingly gregarious, he delighted in roles that connected people, such as Master of Ceremonies for the annual Farwell School Pumpkin Festival and numerous other community events.
Ray was beloved for unapologetically deploying corny jokes at every available opportunity; for his patience, kindness, and gentleness; for his fierce devotion and fidelity to everything that really mattered. He was preceded in death by his parents, Viateur ("Vic") and Anne; his brother, Paul; his niece, Monique; and his son, John. He is survived by his wife, Susan; children Angélique Kania (Robert) and Robert Lagueux; sister-in-law Theresa and niece Michele Lagueux; and five grandchildren, Alexander, Nicholas, and Gregory Kania and Annette and Lucien Lagueux.
Condolences and fond memories may be shared with family and friends at www.albert-burpee.com
Friends and family are invited to visiting hours at Albert & Burpee Funeral Home on Monday, December 29, 2025 from 1:00–4:00pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Church in Lewiston on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 1:00pm followed by committal prayers in the large mausoleum at St. Peter's Cemetery in Lewiston. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Ray's honor be made to the Franco Center 46 Cedar St. Lewiston, ME 04240.
Arrangements are under the care of Albert & Burpee Funeral Home & Cremation Services 253 Pine St. Lewiston, ME (207) 782-7201.