AUBURN – Laureat (Larry) R. Comeau, 86, husband of the late Aline A. (Auger) Comeau, slipped away peacefully just before midnight Sunday, March 22, surrounded by his loving family at The Hospice House of Androscoggin.

He was born in Lewiston in 1922, son of Otis Comeau and Aline (Roy) Comeau. Larry had a real zest for life, and felt a need to experience it to the fullest. He become skilled in everything from farming to crafting furniture, skiing, bee-keeping, antique automobile restoration, and raising horses and ponies.

He shared his rich life experiences through his gift of storytelling. While raising his family, his priority was his children, second only to his devoted wife, Aline. He taught his family the value of an honest days work for an honest days pay. He was a man of integrity who led by example. He showed all around him how to live, how to love, how important family is, and most importantly…how to laugh.

He was an active member of Sacred Heart Parish while raising his family. He served as president of the parish council and president of Sacred Heart School PTA. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he earned fourth degree standing. He was also a member and past president of The Richelieu Club in Lewiston.

He and Aline were volunteers at various nursing homes in their later years, offering a friendly face to those in need, and a cribbage game whenever he could squeeze one in. One cannot begin to list the countless people who have been touched by him, and he will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

We know that the “Breakfast Club” members and waitresses at Edwards Restaurant are near the top of that list. He was the epitome of a self made man growing up during the Great Depression. As a teenager, and in order to help support his family, he began his working career by washing milk cans at a dairy farm.

After obtaining his drivers license, he serviced his own milk run. During World War II, he worked at BIW in Portland as a driller, building Liberty Ships. Those years of hard work enabled him to purchase a farm in New Gloucester. Within a couple years he met the love of his life, Aline A. Auger and they were married in 1945.

Soon after, he and Aline started their family. Opening a cabinet shop, he began crafting church and store fixtures. At about the same time, he began building church pews for Father Martin at Holy Cross Church. This led to his subsequently building Holy Cross’s parish community center in the late 1950s as well as the adjacent convent. This was the first of many church building projects that followed, and was the beginning of L.R. Comeau Inc.

It was also during this period that he became one of the pioneers of the Gypsum system (sheetrock) for finishing walls and ceilings in the state of Maine. In the years to follow, he became a very successful and sought-after builder, constructing four convents throughout central and southern Maine. He was a highly skilled craftsman who also drafted his own architectural blueprints. He was also a savvy businessman.

During the early 1960s he became the premier builder of the Gold Medallion (all-electric homes promoted by CMP) and Bronze Medallion homes (those heated with oil). These homes were the current state-of-the-art, and were showcased in various media sources.

Although he was successful in the contracting business, his adventurous spirit moved him to pursue an entirely different career in which he purchased an ice cream manufacturing plant and creamery, thus establishing the Pine Cone Ice Cream Co. in Fairfield. It was here where his children were taught to appreciate good ice cream and hard work.

In later years, he took on a school bus route and eventually drove bus tours with Brunswick Transportation, an endeavor that took him into his retirement years. He and Aline were able to retire in 1974, where they began their adventures of “Tin-Can” traveling, exploring the country in the comfort of their fifth-wheel camper.

Their trip to Alaska was among their most memorable trips. More recently, they enjoyed spending the cold winter months at Laura Walker Campground in Waycross, Ga. They made many friends and shared fond memories together during their time on the road. It is a deeply held belief of his family that the two are once again traveling together.

He is survived by brothers, Ray and Joseph; and sisters, Laurette and Annette; his daughters, Jacqueline “Jacquie” Bussiere and her fiancée, Reginald Drapeau, of Turner, Lucille “Chickie” and her husband, Thomas Longley, of Turner, Madelaine “Maggie” Comeau of Freeman and Claudette Werner and her husband, Scott, of Sullivan; seven sons, Edward “Ed” Comeau and wife, Madeleine Levesque, of Lewiston, Paul and his wife, Noreen Comeau, of Leeds, Donald “Don” and wife, Joyce Comeau, of Carrabassett, Marc Comeau of Lewiston, Maurice and Ann Comeau of Farmington, Normand “Norm” Comeau and his partner, Connie Morin of Auburn and Richard “Rick” and his partner, Rhonda Mulholland, of Auburn; 22 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his dearly devoted wife, Aline; his beloved daughter, Jeanne; his sisters, Lucille and Florence; and his brothers, Gerald and Robert.