Paul E. Vachon
1048- 2010

AUBURN — Paul E. Vachon, 62, of 20 Bradford Road, Turner, passed away Feb. 6, as the result of complications due to esophageal cancer.

He was born Aug. 23, 1947, in Rumford, the son of Edmond J. and Sudie L. (Gunter) Vachon. He grew up in Bethel, attending the Ethel Bisbee and Crescent Park schools and graduated from Gould Academy in 1965. He was active in football, skiing and golf as well as the camera, outing and audio-visual clubs.

In 1968, he graduated from Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute with a certificate in automotive technology and in 1972 from the University of Southern Maine, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial education. While at Gorham, he participated in intramural sports, playing intramural soccer, football and basketball (the infamous TKE Zeros) for Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity of which he was a member. He held the offices of chaplain, vice president and president of that chapter. He was awarded Top TKE of the Year, runner-up, in the spring of 1971 and traveled to Asheville, N.C., to accept the award.

After graduation, he accepted a teaching position at Leavitt Area High School in Turner, where he taught automotives, mechanical and architectural drawing, crafts, metalworking and welding and woodworking. He started the Leavitt Camera Club and was vice president of the local teachers association.

While at Leavitt, he met his wife, the former Arlene E. Gray. They were married Aug. 17, 1975 at Bates College Chapel in Lewiston and built their home in Turner during that fall and winter.

In the spring of 1984, he left education to enter the construction field working throughout the Lewiston-Auburn area and later forming Jorvac Construction, retiring in 2001.

He was Scoutmaster for Troop 187, Boy Scouts of America of Turner, while his sons were involved with scouting and a member of Nezinscot Lodge 101. He enjoyed time at camp in Casco, fishing with his college buds, the anTKEs, Hole in the Wall Gang, topless touring in the Miata, a renewed love/hate relationship with the game of golf, reading, skiing and trading stories and puttering with the Bradford Road Kubota Klan.

He is survived by his wife of 34 years; two sons, Dr. Jason P. Vachon and his wife, Katy Peng and their daughter, Audrey of Clifton Park, N.Y., and Ryan E. Vachon of San Jose, Calif.; several cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents-in-law, Clifton and Alice Gray; brother-in-law, Charles Bennett; and sister-in-law, Priscilla Greene.