1917 – 2013

AUBURN — Robert A. LaFleur Sr., 95, of Mount Vernon, died peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Androscoggin Hospice House, where he had been a patient for the past week.

He was born in Lewiston on Dec. 6, 1917, the son of Amedee LaFleur and Jeannie Legendre. Originally a family of nine children, only five made it to adults: his brothers, Alfred, Cyril and Henry; and sister, Yvonne, but all predeceased him. The family was orphaned in the 1920s, but stayed intact with the care of the older children.

Robert served proudly as a medic in World War II in the African and European theaters. He was very proud of his service and felt privileged to have served as a medic. After the war, he worked at Togus Veterans Hospital, where he met Sylvia Weeks; they married in 1946. Robert became an electrician in the early 1950s and work moved them to New Jersey, where they lived until 1975, returning to Maine and their home in Mount Vernon.

After Sylvia’s passing in 1982, Robert met Virginia LaBrecque and they married in 1985. They had many great years together, until her passing in 2012. He spent his time enjoying life, gardening, fishing, hunting and being an unusual character. He was a man very proud of his family, his heritage and his country.

He is survived by his son, Robert LaFleur Jr. and his wife, Christine; his grandchildren, Emilly LaFleur, Ryan and Ashley of Jay, Robert Cranmer and his wife, Jenny, and Scott Cranmer, all of New Jersey; and his great-grandchildren, Zachary, Luke and Sierra.

He was predeceased by his wives; his daughter, Nancy Cranmer; three brothers, Freddie, Henry and Cy; his sister, Yvonne; and four infant siblings.

Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfuneralhome.com.