OLD ORCHARD BEACH – Sonia (Forgue) Ouellette, 75, of Old Orchard Beach, died Thursday, Dec. 16, at her home following an extended illness.

She was born on May 3, 1929, the eldest of three daughters, born to Henry J. and Yvonne (Caron) Forgue of Lewiston.

She attended local schools and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1947, where she showcased her lovely singing voice in many school musical performances. Subsequently, she attended St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing and the Auburn, Maine School of Commerce.

She was married to George E. Ouellette in 1953 and had two children, Daniel and Elaine, who were her pride and joy.

For the first 16 years of her married life, she lived in Auburn and worked for WLAM Radio in Lewiston where she was Director of Women’s Programs. For many years she hosted the popular morning “Coffee Time” show, first from the studios on Lisbon Street and then daily “live” broadcasts with her husband from their home in Auburn. In November of 1953, WLAM-TV, Channel 17, Maine’s second UHF station, went on the air in Lewiston and Sonia became one of the first women broadcasters in Maine to appear regularly on television.

She was also much in demand as a commentator for various fashion shows throughout the area. In the late 50s and 60s, when her husband worked at WMTW-TV, Channel 8, she often appeared in commercials and fashion programs on that station.

Skiing was a family affair and she loved to accompany her husband and children to different ski areas throughout New England. In the summer, she enjoyed the peace and quiet of the family cottage on Middle Range Pond in Poland Spring.

In 1970, Sonia and her family moved to Massachusetts where she became involved as a hospital volunteer, first in the Worcester area and then in Springfield at Mercy Hospital in that city.

She and her husband, George, bought an oceanfront property in Old Orchard Beach in 1977 and returned to Maine to live the following year. She operated the summer rental business, “Ouellette’s On The Beach,” until 1999, graciously welcoming visitors from all over New England and the Province of Quebec. Being bilingual made her the perfect hostess and she made many friends and repeat customers because of the warm, friendly manner in which she always treated her guests.

In 1989, she was part of a delegation that went to Mimizan, France, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the crossing of the first French plane from the hard-packed sands of Old Orchard Beach to Mimizan Plage on the southwest coast of France. The occasion was also marked by these two communities becoming Sister Cities. Sonia had the opportunity to return to Mimizan on several occasions to visit friends and cement the Sister Cities relationship.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 51 years, George E. Ouellette; a son, Daniel of Saco and his wife, Debra; a daughter, Elaine Ouellette Greaves of Winchester, Mass., her husband, Craig, and their children, Alexander and Rebecca; a sister, Pauline (Forgue) Wing of Scarborough and her husband, R. Bickford Wing; a niece, Cheryl Wing Jones of Natick Mass.; two nephews, Scott Wing of Skowhegan, Michael Reynolds of Raymond, and their spouses; several cousins and many friends who love her and will find a big void in their lives with her passing.

She was predeceased by a sister, Alice Reynolds, of Lewiston.

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