LEWISTON – Henry J. Frechette, 79, a Lewiston native widely known for his unselfish spirit, sense of humor and faith in God, died peacefully Monday afternoon, Oct. 13, at Central Maine Medical Center surrounded by his beloved family.

From his days as a teenager delivering firewood with his father to his more than 30 years as a local automobile mechanic, he made positive impressions on people virtually everywhere he went. A physically small but strong man who was very proud of his Franco-American heritage, he lived the last days of his life in bliss with his second wife, Eleanor, in their home in Greene.

The son of Joseph and Almoza Rouleau Frechette, he joined the United States Army in 1943 and served his country during World War II. Upon returning, he worked in Lewiston’s Continental Mills, where he met his first wife, Therese Doyon, who died in 1992 after 47 years of marriage. They had three sons and a daughter together, who have expanded the Frechette family to include dozens of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He owned and operated Henry’s Service Center at the intersection of Campus and Sabattus streets for many years until he handed it down to his sons in the 1970s. He was known to drop his tools whenever young people came into the shop, bestowing lollipops and good-natured lessons to one of the chief passions of his life: children.

After leaving the service center, his hands went from working with metal to wood as he developed his skills building furniture for gifts to his family, friends and charity organizations.

He spent more than 10 years as a dedicated Eucharistic minister and custodian for the St. Francis of Xavier Church in Winthrop, and later volunteered and became a member at the First Assembly of God Church in Lewiston. Among his favorite possessions was a statue of Jesus raising his hands to heaven, which was given to him recently by one of his sons after a particularly inspiring Sunday worship.

He was a member of the Lewiston Council 106 of the Knights of Columbus, where he reached fourth-degree membership, and later was affiliated with the Father McGowen Knights Council in Winthrop. He was also a member of American Legion Post 22.

He is survived by his daughter, Connie Stockwell and her husband Roger of Greene; an adopted daughter, Irene Wright and husband George of Greene; stepdaughter, Jennifer Cousins and companion Chad Pendexter of Norway; his sons are, Henry R. of Greene, Guy M. and wife Marlene of Leeds and Denis R. and wife Jocelyn of Conway, N.H.; a stepson, Chris Cousins and wife Jennifer live in Dresden; grandchildren include, Angel Dawn Bennett and husband Jason, Tammy Lynn Allen and husband Earl, Chad Frechette, Gerard Cormier, Annette Lynn and husband Jeff, Michael and Mona Frechette, Amy Dill and husband Dale, Tammy Sweeden and husband Dave, Michael G. Morin and wife MicheIIe, Robert and Diana Frechette, April Hope Frechette and fiance, Curtis Goodman, Ryan Joy Fall and husband Jeremy, Scott Henson, Amie Wells and husband Dennis, and Charlee Stockwell; 19 great-grandchildren with another due in January; his surviving siblings include, Mary Caron and husband Renee of Lewiston, Rita Comtois of Victoriaville, Quebec, and Aldec Frechette of Lewiston.


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