1922 – 2003

WATERVILLE – Emilien A.Levesque, 80, of Farmingdale passed away peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 21, in Waterville.

He was born Sept. 23, 1922, in Grand Isle son of Emile and Anna Chasse Levesque and graduated from Van Buren High School in 1941.

He will be remembered as a proud Franco American, civic minded, an active member of the Democratic Party, and a strong advocate for American veterans.

He was drafted in 1943, served as staff sergeant heavy machine gunner with the 157th Infantry 45th Infantry Division 3rd battalion in World War II.

He was a POW in Eppenheim and Manheim Germany and received a Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, Victory Metal ribbon with service stars and a Bronze star. He served in north Africa, Italy, France, Germany.

He was a paid life member and commander of the Edgar L. Poss Chapter 1 of the American Legion ex-POW. He was a member of the American Legion Thomas O. Cyr Post 17 in Madawaska for 58 years and also a member of the Smith-Wiley Post 4 Gardiner. He was a life member of the disabled American Veterans John F. MacPherson Chapter 1 VFW life member Post 8835 of Winslow.

He lived in Madawaska and worked for Fraser Paper as a machinist and member of management for 20 years.

He was a labor union leader and past president of Local 365 International Brotherhood of Pulp Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers Union, past president of the Maine District Council of Pulp and paper Mill Union, an executive board member of the Maine State Federated labor Council and member of the Maine Safety Council.

He served on the Madawaska Board of Selectmen, was a charter member of the Madawaska Historical Society, and chair of the Democratic Party in Madawaska. He was a member of the 500 Club and the Democratic National Committee.

He served in the Maine State House of representatives from 1961 through 1970 in the 100th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th Legislature. He also served as House Minority and House Majority Leader. He served as Director of the Bureau of Civil Defense, Commissioner of the Maine Employment Security Commission, Coordinators of Canadian Affairs and Director of the Bureau of Veterans Services for the State of Maine.

He served as an officer of the Maine Association of state Retirees. He was a member of the Club Calumet in Augusta, and the Madawaska and Gardiner Lions Club.

He was of strong faith and served as Lector and Eucharistic Minister of St. Joseph’s Parish in Gardiner and was a member of the Canabas Council 1299, Assembly 348.

He retired in 1987 was a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Workmans Compensation in 1992 and also served as Chairman of the waste management advisory committee of Farmingdale.

He is survived by sisters, Ernestine Violette of Southington, Conn., Jeanne McBurnie of Bangor, Joan McDermott of Manchester, Conn., Lucille Berchulski of Middletown, Conn., Marcella Norton of Presque Isle, Hermance Levesque of Honolulu, Hawaii; children, Gloria Gallant of Limerick, Ruth Zimba of Waterville, David and Catherine Levesque of Farmingdale; grandchildren, J.J. Gallant of Medford, Mass., Olivia and Brian Burbank of Old Town, Dawn Zimba of Clairton, Pa., Paul, Adam, Anna Levesque of Farmingdale.

He was predeceased by his wife Augustine; his son, Adrien; and a brother, Freddie.

The family would like to thank the staff of Dr. Meng Khauv and James Kidwell from the Togus VA Medical ceneter, staff members of the Maine Veterans Home, The Woodlands and Evergreen residential care facilities in Waterville as well as the staff at Lakewood Manor and Dr. Ronald Knausenberger also of Waterville for their loving care and compassion in Mr. Levesque’s struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.