1913 – 2003

LEWISTON – Irene R. Bélanger, 90, of 15 South Ave., Lewiston, died Saturday evening, Oct. 18, at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

She was born in Lewiston on Sept. 2, 1913, a daughter of Honoré and Clotilde (Huard) Robitaille. Both her parents died in April, 1915 and she was raised by her paternal grandparents. She was educated in Lewiston schools.

On June 5, 1933, she married mile Bélanger and they established residence on South Avenue where they raised their family. During those years, she worked in the textile industry in Lewiston, Biddeford and Lisbon. Her husband died on Oct. 29, 1975.

She was a member of Holy Cross Parish and also belonged to the Ladies of St. Anne and Holy Cross Senior Citizens. She enjoyed her grandchildren above all and she like to travel around the country, Canada and Europe. She was a coupon collector, but most of all enjoyed gardening, picking wild berries and canning. She was renowned for her strawberry and raspberry jams, her various pickles and her delicious fudge.

She is survived by three children, Marcel and his wife, Lucille, Sylvia Langlais and her husband, Robert, Monita Cote and her husband, Roland all of Lewiston; 13 grandchildren, Susan Bélanger of Lewiston, Marc Bélanger of Sabattus, Diane Dubois of Lewiston, Therese St. Pierre of Lewiston, Denise Chow of Dixfield, Richard Bélanger of Lewiston, Paul Bélanger of Lisbon, Elaine Chapman of Lewiston, Rachel Langlais of Lewiston, Louise Fillebrown of Waterford, Amy Gagnon of Lewiston, Sandra L. Worthington of Lewiston, and Jean A. Roy of Lewiston; also 18 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by a son, Renald W. Bélanger, and a daughter, Rose B. Couturier, who both died in 1995; her sister, Antoinette Morin; and four brothers, Alfred Robitaille, Roland Robitaille, Ernest Robitaille and Leo Robitaille.