LEWISTON — Rosaire J. “Rosie” Dumond, 88, of Spring Street, Lewiston, passed away at home on April 7, after a long courageous battle with cancer, with his loving family by his side.

He was born in Madawaska, May 20, 1923, the son of Firmin and Marie (Caron) Dumond. He was educated in the Madawaska area schools and moved to Hartford, Conn., when he turned 18. On one of his trips home to visit family, he stopped in Lewiston to visit a friend. That weekend turned his life around. He met the love of his life, Robertine Lagasse. They married June 30, 1945, and started their family two years later. They raised three devoted children and went on to achieve the joy of seeing five generations on two separate occasions.

He worked at the Bonafide Mill in Lisbon for more than 19 years until its closing. He then went to work in the tool and dye room for General Electric in Auburn for 18 years until his retirement. He made many friends wherever he worked, especially the little group of people at General Electric Co. who he sat with at lunch breaks every day. Those were fond memories for him.

Rosaire was an honest, hard working, loyal and well-respected man. He was a loving, devoted husband. And, he was the father most children would dream of having. As a grandfather the memories are never ending.

In the fall, it was not an unusual thing to see Rosie rolling in the leaves with the grandchildren, or ride the great-grandchildren in a wheel barrel around the neighborhood. He once made an igloo in his backyard for his great-grandson. All the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are old enough for the memories to last a lifetime.

Dad had such passion for the things in his life he enjoyed doing; gardening, wine making and cooking, especially his homemade baked beans. When it came to sports, there wasn’t a more supportive fan than Rosaire for the Patriots and his Red Sox teams.

Besides Robertine, his loving wife of 67 years, he leaves one son, David Dumond of Lewiston; two daughters, Jacqueline Goulet, husband, Marcel, of Lewiston and Pamela Punch and husband, David, of Minot; grandchildren, Lori (Poulin) Kyllonen of Auburn and Todd Poulin, wife, Cindy, of Lewiston and Tyler and Jessica Punch of Minot; great-grandchildren, Christopher Poulin of Auburn, Megen Poulin of Brunswick, Shayli Poulin and Sadie Poulin, both of Lewiston and Craig Bernier of Portland; great-great-grandchildren, Eva Poulin and Maelah Poulin-Redmun; one sister, Rita Cyr Bosse of Madawaska, who turned 90 last December; a sister-in-law, Mary Jane Gervais of Lewiston; a special nephew, Paul Dumond and wife, Kathy, of Montana; stepgrandchildren, Rachel Lebel and fiancee, Pete Couillard, of Auburn, Marc Goulet and wife, Sarah, and Michele Holman and husband, Gordon, both living in Wisconsin; stepgreat-grandchildren, Joel and Dylan Lebel, Oliver and Brian Goulet, and Emily, Samual and Maxwell Holman; and his precious cat, Blackie.

While Rosie was very ill in the hospital, he would always ask if we remembered to feed the cat. Just like him to worry about everyone but himself.

He was predeceased by his parents, Firmin and Marie Dumond; his in-laws, Donat and Josephine Lagasse; three sisters, Jeanette Levesque, Blanche Beaulieu and Carmen Cyr Clavet, all of Madawaska; and four brothers, Freeman of Madawaska, Bertrand, Gilman and Armand (Pete), all lived in Connecticut.

The family wishes to thank Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice for the special care they gave our father, especially Mary Ann Hall, who was his primary nurse for two years and to the Hospice program for the end of life care he received at home. Thank-you to the Hospice nurses and CNAs who showed so much compassion during this stressful time.

Online condolences and photo gallery may be shared at www.thefortingroupauburn.com.