AUBURN — Fernand L. Cloutier, 78, of 13 Ventura St., Lewiston, passed away Monday, March 14, at The Hospice House of Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice in the presence of loving family members.

He was born in Lewiston, July 21, 1932, the son of Reginald and Alice Bisson Cloutier. He married Lorraine R. Provencher on June 18, 1955. He attended St. Peter’s Elementary School and graduated from St. Dominic Regional High School, Class of 1951. He graduated from Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., in 1955, with a degree in business and served his nation as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

Fern was a member of the 1951 St. Dominic RHS hockey team that won the New England High School Championship, scoring the winning goal in overtime. He went on to become an outstanding hockey player for Norwich University, where he averaged 3.07 points per game, the best scoring average in Norwich history.

Fern is a member of the Norwich (1990), and Auburn-Lewiston (1998) Sports Hall of Fames. In 2008, he was inducted into the introductory class of the St. Dominic’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He also played amateur hockey for the Waterville Bruins and Country Kitchen hockey teams.

Later, he was a director and coach of the L-A Twins. Fern entered his father’s business, Twin City Packing, Inc., and eventually became the proprietor of the meat packing business. He also owned and operated the Lafayette Hotel in Old Orchard Beach with his family for 15 years.

In his later years, he ran a small personal laser recharge business. Fern’s passion for youth hockey led to the creation of the Lewiston Recreational Youth School Hockey League and was the coach of the St. Peter and Paul’s boy’s hockey team for 20 years. He was the first director of the annual Lions Hockey Tournament and, in 1992, was the recipient of the Ronnie St. Onge Memorial Award for longstanding dedication to youth hockey.

He was an avid golfer and a member of the Prospect Golf Club. He also enjoyed watching St. Dominic RHS hockey practices and was a season ticket holder and fan for the Maineiacs. He is survived by his loving wife, Lorraine of Lewiston; eight children, Patricia Mayer and husband, Paul, of Billerica, Mass., Daniel of Rockport, David and wife Elaine, of Billerica, Mass., Richard and wife, Mary, Gregory and wife, Carol, of Old Orchard Beach, Lise and husband, Steven Corson Jr., of Greene, Celeste Ledoux and husband, Christopher, of Portsmouth, N.H., and Fernand II and wife, Maureen, of Lewiston; his 17 grandchildren, Jean-Paul and Andre Mayer, Natalie Cloutier, Stephanie and Gina Cloutier, Christopher, Peter and Allison Cloutier, Christina, Dominic and Justin Cloutier, and Taryn Cloutier, Zacharie, Aurelie and Ranger Ledoux, Brady and Gavin Corson; one sister, Jacqueline and husband, Paul Deschene, of Lewiston; and one brother, Raymond and wife, Lorraine Cloutier, of Old Orchard Beach.

He was predeceased by his mother and father; one brother, Maurice; and two sisters, Pauline Keefe and Claire Mercier.

The family thanks Dr. Jeff Brown, Dr. Seth Gordon and The Hospice House.

Condolences and a photo tribute may be accessed online at www.albert-burpee.com.