Theresa Marie Michaud Obituary (1930 - 2009)

Winslow, Maine Theresa Marie Michaud 78 of Winslow passed away on Saturday October 10, 2009 at Mt. St. Joseph Nursing Home after a long illness surrounded by her family. She was born on December 16, 1930 in Madawaska, Maine the daughter of Elizabeth and Fortunat Guerrette. She was the youngest of their 17 children. By 1936, all of the family had moved to Augusta where Theresa was educated at St. Augustine's school and then at Cony High School. In 1948, she entered the convent to prepare to be a Sister of the Presentation of Mary. She took her vows in 1951. She was sent first to Holyoke, than to Aldenville, Mass where she taught school for 8 years. After much soul searching, she decided that she would leave the convent and return home. She applied for a dispensation of her vows from the Vatican and received it after several months. She left Aldenville in 1960 and moved back to Central Maine where she settled in Waterville, living with her sister Vida. Vida introduced her to Eugene W. Michaud and they were married on July 4, 1961. She left teaching at St. Joseph Maronite School after a short time for the birth of the first of her three children. She was a homemaker until 1968, when she decided to go back to college to get her teaching degree,eventually earning a Master's Degree from UMF. She began teaching again in 1969 at St. John's School in Winslow. She eventually became principal and held that position for seven years. Theresa resigned from St. John's and took a position at St. Augustine's school in Augusta , teaching junior high school classes. She taught there for 13 years before retiring. She was a communicant of St. John's Parish in Winslow where she was very active in church activities and organizations. She served on the parish council and was involved with RCIA and premarital counseling. She was also a Eucharistic Minister. Theresa loved to sing and often cantored at St. John's and before that at Notre Dame in Waterville before the family moved to Winslow. She loved playing cards and other games. She also enjoyed cooking and holiday celebrations and decorating the house at the holidays. She was fond of crafts and doing jigsaw puzzles. She took up square dancing and served as President of the Heart of Maine Squares for three years. Theresa also loved to travel with her husband Gene and their friends. Among all of her interests, the most important things in her life were her faith and her family. She was a faithful servant of God, loved her whole family greatly and unconditionally. She is survived by her husband Eugene Michaud of Winslow; a son Daniel Michaud and his partner Jean Finley of Vassalboro; her daughter Lisa Michaud and her partner John Levesque of Vassalboro and a son Jeffrey Michaud of Wiscasset; her grandchildren, Shane McCauseland of Vassalboro, Nikia Levesque of Vassalboro, Noah Michaud of Brunswick, Patrick Finley of Waltham, Mass., Mallory Finley of Brighton,Mass., Joshua Levesque of Winslow and Dustin Levesque of Fairfield; 1 sister, Laurette Arbour of Gardiner and several nieces and nephews from all over the country. She was predeceased by her parents and 15 brothers and sisters. She will be sadly missed by family and many very close friends throughout the area. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staffs at Oak Grove Living and Rehab Center and Mount St. Joseph, who took care of her over the past five years. They would also like to express their gratitude to the HealthReach Hospice for making her final days comfortable. Visiting hours will be held Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday morning from 9 - 11 a.m.at the Gallant Funeral Home 10 Elm Street Waterville. A mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church Monument Street in Winslow, Maine Committal prayers and burial will follow in St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, Grove St. in Waterville. Donations in Theresa's memory can be made to St. John's Parochial School, 15 S. Garand Street, Winslow, Maine 04901 and can be left at the funeral home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------