1912 – 2004

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Gerard Despres, 91, former resident of Church Street, Livermore Falls, died Sunday, Jan. 4, at the Villacrest Nursing Home.

He was born in Rumford on Jan. 20, 1912, the son of Jean Baptiste and Rosalie Arsenault Despres and attended the schools of Rumford and Canada. He served in the Merchant Marines in the Atlantic for two years.

On June 30, 1941, he married Cecile M. Drouin at St. Peter and Paul Church in Lewiston. She passed away on April 7, 1998. Mr. and Mrs. Despres owned and operated Gerard’s Restaurant in Livermore Falls for 20 years, retiring in 1968. He also worked for local construction companies as an electrician, retiring in 1975.

Following retirement, they enjoyed traveling the East Coast on Route 1. He was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Church in Jay and while living in Pembroke, N.H., he was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church in Suncook, N.H.

He was a former member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 320 of Jay and a former member of the IBEW Local 1253 of Augusta.

He is survived by four children, Monique Pazo of Big Pine Key, Fla., Guy Despres of Pembroke, N.H., Jacques Despres of Pembroke, N.H., and Jacqueline Despres of Gardiner; a brother, Louis Despres of Ware, Mass.; a sister, Geraldine Perry of Bethel, Vt.; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a grandson, Robert Pazo.

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