Yvette Fortier Obituary (1914 - 2006)

Yvette Bolduc Fortier, 91 of Belgrade Lakes Maine died Sunday September 17, 2006 at Inland Hospital in Waterville. She was born October 16th, 1914 in Waterville one of nine children to Josephine & Alfred Bolduc. She grew up with her family in Watervilles south end where she took jobs at an early age at Hagers Ice Cream shop and as a mothers helper in addition to caring for her youngest brother, Bobby. She later worked at Keyes Fibre Company when in 1937 she married former Mayor Malcolm J. Fortier of Waterville. They were married for 59 years until his death in 1996. Together they raised seven children. Yvette was a long-time member of Sacred Heart Church and was active in Rosary Solidarity Womens Group and sang in the choir with her husband for many years. Following their retirements in 1984 Yvette & Malcolm moved from Waterville to Belgrade Lakes after purchasing the former Camp Penobscot in association with other family members. This camp became a piece of heaven known as Tallwood where ten families reside during cherished summer months on Great Pond. Yvette loved living at the lake surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Yvette was unaccustomed to leisure and took up numerous hobbies of swimming, learning to play the organ, spending hours on end gardening and welcoming many visitors and guests. She canned and pickled her garden vegetables and was renowned for her delicious apple and berry pies , especially her raspberry pies from berries grown in her garden. Yvette loved all of the seasons at the lake and continued an active life. She enjoyed cross country skiing, snowmobiling in the winters and hosting her family on weekends for ice boating and fishing. During summers Yvette was seen driving her ATV about the Tallwood compound and was always initiating improvements and work projects. She loved to give the children rides on her Big Red. She was known by young and old as Memere She became an avid bridge player and often played with friends at the Muskie Center in Waterville and at the Belgrade Center for All Seasons. She especially loved a keen game of cutthroat pitch on Sunday evenings with her family. In her last year she was lovingly cared for at home by Sue Paradis and special girl friend Penny Alexander along with family members. She will be greatly missed by her large circle of friends and family. She is survived by her daughter Donna Urbach and her husband Herb of Wellesley, Ma, and Belgrade Lakes, a daughter Renee Jabar and her husband Joe of Waterville and Belgrade Lakes, a son John and his wife Lisa of Belgrade Lakes, a daughter Linda Allen and husband Carl of Winslow and a son David of Biddeford, Maine. She was predeceased by her son Pierre in 1988 and her son Wayne in an ice boating accident in February of this year. She also leaves a brother Bobby Bolduc of Oakland, Maine and Englewood Florida and his wife Marlene. She is also survived by 20 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 7pm Wednesday, September 20th at Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street in Waterville. A funeral mass will be held Thursday September 21s , at 11:00AM at Sacred Heart Church, 72 Pleasant Street in Waterville followed by a burial service at Pine Grove Cemetery in Belgrade . In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Town of Belgrade/Yvette Fortier Senior Scholarship program, Center For All Seasons, 1 Center Drive, Belgrade, Maine 04917.