1918 – 2015

LEWISTON — Lionel C. Ferland Sr., 96, of Hardscrabble Road in Poland, died Monday, Feb. 2, at d’Youville Pavilion.

He was born in Lewiston on March 28, 1918, the son of Cyrille Ferland and Roseanna Gauthier. He married Lydia Sarrazin on March 3, 1945, at Sacred Heart Church and together, they raised their five children and ran their family-owned farm, Ferland Farm, in Poland.

Lionel moved to Poland in 1922, attending Minot Corner School and graduating from Hardscrabble School. He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1936. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army for four-and-a-half years, assigned to the Pacific Theater, and was honorably discharged with the rank of staff sergeant.

He became a co-operator with the Androscoggin Soil and Water Conservation District in 1947, and was elected to its Board of Supervisors in 1954. He served for over 55 years, many of those years as secretary-treasurer. He was elected as a selectman of the town of Poland in 1952, serving 24 years, 19 as its chairman. In 1972, Lionel was appointed to the board of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and served under three state governors. He was a lifelong Democrat.

Lionel served as secretary-treasurer of the Danville Mutual Fire Insurance Co., for 25 years. He was a 75-year member of Excelsior Grange No. 5. As a veteran, he was a longtime member of American Legion Post 150 and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He received the Boston Post Cane in 2012.

As a communicant of Sacred Heart Church, Lionel has served as usher, parish council member, finance council chairman and president, as well as treasurer of Sacred Heart’s Golden Age Club. All of his service was measured not in years, but in decades.

He leaves two daughters, Irene Theriault and husband, Stephen, of Melbourne, Fla., and Jo-Ann Jackson and husband, Raymond, of Auburn; three sons, Lionel Ferland Jr. and wife, Anita, of Poland, Richard Ferland and wife, Sandra, of Hebron and Dennis Ferland of Poland; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Noella Hemond of Minot and Germaine Galipeau of Auburn; and many first cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Lydia, in 2006.

The family wishes to thank the entire staff at d’Youville Pavilion, 3 West, for the care and compassion shown to Lionel and his family during his time there.

You are invited to view the video tribute and share your thoughts, condolences and fond memories with the Ferland family by visiting their online guest book at www.thefortingroupauburn.com.