MEXICO – The death of Selectman Louise Waterhouse on Tuesday shocked town officials, who said her passing will leave a void in town government.

The death in the early morning hours was unexpected. The 60-year-old public servant had been active in the community until Monday night.

“She was serving the community right up to the time she passed away. She was very active and very concerned with the community,” said Selectman Barbara Laramee.

She said Waterhouse helped with Beano at the Sons of Italy hall in Rumford Monday night, just a few hours before she died. “She finished what she was doing and she said, ‘I think I’m going to go home now. I’m tired,'” Laramee said. “She’ll be greatly missed.”

Waterhouse was re-elected to the Board of Selectmen last year. She served since February 1994. She was also serving on boards of the Taxpayers Association, Library Association, MedCare Ambulance, the town’s Economic Development Committee, Mexico Historical Society and Friends of the Library. She organized the Celebration on the Riverbank two years ago and was one of the original founders of the Greater Rumford Area Ministries lunch program.

Selectman Reggie Arsenault served on the board with Waterhouse for nearly three years.

“I thought she was a very caring person. All of her decisions on the Board of Selectmen were for the citizens of the town of Mexico. I thought she was a very compassionate person. I enjoyed working with her and I’m going to miss her.”

“She had a very conservative approach to the taxpayers,” Town Manager Joseph Derouche said. “She made sure she helped the elderly. She made it clear she was there to help people to be able to stay living in our town.

“She will be sadly missed,” he said. “She’s going to be a real missing link to our budget process. Her passing is going to leave quite a hole on the Board of Selectmen. We’re all in shock.”

Waterhouse attended the most recent meeting the board Jan. 28. “She was all excited, very involved, very upbeat. It’s a shock,” Derouche said.

The town canceled the selectmen’s meeting scheduled Wednesday night. The next regular meeting will be held Feb. 25.

Municipal offices will not open until noon Friday so town employees may attend funeral services.

Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Thibault’s Funeral Home, Penobscot Street, Rumford. The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. A spring burial will be at Demeritt Cemetery in Peru.

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