1933 – 2016

LEWISTON — Therese L. Deschenes, 82, died peacefully Friday, Sept. 23, at d’Youville Pavilion following a long, declining illness.

She was born in Lewiston on Oct. 10, 1933. She was the daughter of Lionel and Jeannette Tessier Morrissette. She was educated in the Lewiston parochial schools and employed for several years at Federal Shoe Shop, the Sun Journal and for 10 years at the Bates Mill, where she met the love of her life, Leo J. Deschenes.

They were married Jan. 9, 1960, at Saints Peter and Paul Basilica. They made their home on Dow Avenue in Lewiston where they had their three sons, Michael, David and Paul. They moved to Leeds in 1976 and remodeled their historic 1790 farmhouse, where they lived until Leo’s passing in 1997.

Therese loved being a homemaker and passionately enjoyed interior decorating the 12 rooms in their farmhouse. She loved to can all of the produce that her husband grew in their large garden (500 quarts a year!). She loved cooking, sewing, crocheting, making miniature furniture, jigsaw puzzles and playing cards. She loved music and singing and dancing and had a beautiful singing voice.

Later in life, she loved taking trips and cruises with her brother, sister and friends. She and her husband loved their camp in the West Forks. They would spend as much time there as they could and called it their “haven.”

She was a member of many community groups and a lifetime member and past commander of Chapter 11 Emiline Hamman D.A.V.A., AARP Covenant 50, Horizon 55, Jacque Chartier, La Survienance Francais, Foxy Red Hatters, Franco-American Heritage Center, Sabattus Senior Citizen Center, Holy Cross Church Club and was a volunteer at CMMC hospital. She was a communicant of St. Francis Church in Greene. She loved to keep busy all the time and enjoyed life and all people she met and came to know.

She leaves behind two sisters, Celine Deveau of Topsham and Jacqueline Gauthier of Florida; her son, Paul-Emile Deschenes and his wife, Dr. Shannon Deschenes, and her granddaughter whom she loved dearly, Olivia Rose Deschenes, all of Lewiston. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews and their children and many friends.

She was predeceased by her parents; her brother, Lionel Morrissette; an infant brother, Robert Morrissette; her husband, Leo; and two sons, David and Michael Deschenes.

All who knew Therese knew she always spoke her mind and had a lot of spunk and character! She loved meeting and talking to people and loved having a good time.

Her family would like to thank the staff and providers at d’Youville Pavilion for their kind and loving care of her over the past two years and also the staff at Schooner Estates where she lived prior to that. She is loved and will be missed dearly.

Friends and family are invited to share their memories and offer their condolences by visiting Therese’s online guest book at www.thefortingrouplewiston.com.