NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Brother Fernand A. Lavigne, S.C., (Brother Origene), 82, of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Provincial House, Pascoag, R.I., died Friday, March 24, at St. Antoine Residence, North Smithfield, R.I.
Born in Biddeford on May 4, 1923, he was the son of the late Frederick and Eudoxie (Savoie) Lavigne.
Brother Fernand entered the Brothers of the Sacred Heart at Arthabaska, Quebec, Canada, in 1939, where he pronounced his first vows on Aug. 15, 1942, and his final vows in 1948.
Brother Fernand completed a teaching certificate from the Quebec Education Department in 1945, and a bachelor of arts degree from St. Michael’s College in 1960. He attended the Spiritual Renewal Session in Rome, Italy, in 1952.
His educational career spanned 55 years, with more than 40 of those spent in service as a teacher and educational leader in Lesotho, South Africa.
Brother Fernand taught at St. Peter’s School, Lewiston, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Juniorate, Winthrop, St. Dominic High School, Lewiston, and in Quebec.
After completing the program in Rome, in Sept. 1952, Brother Fernand began his lifelong assignment as a missionary in Lesotho, where he served as a teacher at the high school seminary and as a teacher and headmaster at Roma College, as headmaster at St. Thomas High School, Sacred Heart High School, St. Joseph Training College, and finally as a teacher at Christ the King High School. Among his many accomplishments as a missionary educator, Brother Fernand’s legacy in Lesotho was his development of an industrial arts program in woodworking at Christ the King High School, which included a fully funded financial aid program for students at the school and for graduates planning to attend technical college.
In December, 2000, Brother Fernand retired to the Provincial House, Pascoag, R.I. He had been a resident at St. Antoine Residence since March, 2004.
Brother Fernand is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Lavigne, of Biddeford; and several nieces and nephews.
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