1931 – 2014

LEWISTON — Donat Fournier, 82, died peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 30, at Central Maine Medical Center, with family by his side.

He was born in Brooklyn, Conn., to Alberic and Grace (Plankey) Fournier, and was a longtime resident of Riverside Drive in Auburn.

Stationed at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Donat met his bride-to-be, Josephine M. Bisson, during a visit to Lewiston. They were married on Nov. 26, 1956. Both enjoyed recounting how they first met in front of the peanut store at the corner of Lisbon and Main streets.

He worked as a laborer at Raytheon for many years and then with Pioneer Plastics, until his retirement in 1994. A veteran of the U.S. Army and Navy during the Korean War period, he was a founding member of the local Franco-American chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. His name of honor was placed on the veterans’ memorial in Lewiston in 2013.

Donat is survived by a daughter, Jo-Anne, of Greenbelt, Md.; a son, Earl and his husband, Robert F. Allen Jr., of Turner; grandchildren, Sasha L. Fournier and Joshua R. Fournier of Leeds, John C. Allen and wife, Jessica, of Lewiston and Robert M. Allen and wife, Susan, of Leeds; great-grandchildren, Abagail G. Fournier of Leeds, Nathanial R. and Olivia S. Allen of Leeds and Grace A. and Ian C. Allen of Lewiston; a daughter-in-law, Leah (Fournier) Payne; a brother, Earl, of Danielson, Conn.; and special friends, Diane Wogaman, Rosemary Walker and Mollie Ryan.

He was predeceased by his wife; a son, Robert; and a brother, Richard.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the loving care providers at the assisted living center where their dad resided for the past five years, the VA staff who provided quality care through Togus for so many years and the CMMC staff who afforded him dignity and comfort during his final hours.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at www.lynchbrothers.com.