AUBURN – Roger B. Bissonnette, 86, of Lewiston, died on the morning of Dec. 4.

He was born in Lewiston, July 3, 1920, the son of Wilfrid and Marianne (Duclos) Bissonnette. He attended Holy Family School and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1936.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942 to 1946, including tours of duty in Cuba and Brazil. On June 28, 1947, he married the former Jeanne F. Laplante with whom he shared the remaining 59 years of his life. He worked for Mrs. Parker at Cain’s and for Coca-Cola during the early years of his marriage.

In 1939, he was asked by the Rev. Monsignor Nonorgues to work as a volunteer during vacations and on weekends for the recently founded Ste. Famille Federal Credit Union (now Maine Family Federal Credit Union). He continued to volunteer his services, also serving on the supervisory committee and board of directors until 1955, when he was hired to serve as assistant treasurer.

He graduated from the CUNA School for Credit Union Personnel, University of Wisconsin, in 1961. In 1963, he became the treasurer and CEO of the credit union, a position he held until 1986.

He was elected to the board of directors of the Maine Credit Union League in 1962, serving as the president from 1971 to 1974. He was the recipient of the President’s Award as Outstanding League Volunteer after serving on the league board for 20 years. He served as a CUNA National Director, a Maine representative on the National Legislative Forum, on the New England Credit Union School Committee of CUNA District 11, and as trustee of the Maine Credit Union League Insurance Trust.

He was a charter member and past director of the Holy Family Booster Club and was involved in building the first ice skating rink for the youth of the parish. He served two terms on the Holy Family Parish Council when it was first organized and a 3-year term as a commissioner of Lewiston Housing Authority.

He was a member of the Holy Family Parish choir and participated in the parish’s golf and bowling leagues, often serving as treasurer of each. He loved to work in his flower garden and to make flower arrangements and decorations for special events.

He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed having his family around him.

Always the perfect host, he was in his glory when everyone gathered for a lobster feed at his home each summer. He had a great love of people and was known for his compassion.

He is survived by his widow, Jeanne F. Bissonnette; his four children, Constance and her husband, Robert Hitchcock, Lorraine Giasson, Joanne Reed and her fiancée, James Harmon, and Ronald, and his wife, Donna Bissonnette; nine grandchildren, Matthew and Christopher and his wife, Vicki Hitchcock, Todd Bell, Brandon DeSilva, Darla, Rebecca and Jarod Reed, and Joseph and Renée Bissonnette; and two brothers, Donald, and his wife, Marthe and Normand, and his wife, Yolande Bissonnette.

He was predeceased by brother and sisters Laurent Bissonnette, Therese Losito, Yolande Bissonnette, Florence Bissonnette and Dorothy LaFontaine.