1919 – 2016

LEWISTON — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing on Saturday, Nov. 19, of our mother, Irene M. Champagne, 97, who was deeply loved and respected by five generations.

She was born to Josephel and Sadie (Rancourt) Jalbert on Feb. 23, 1919, in Cinquante Ans, Quebec, came to America at the age of 17 and with time became an American citizen. Irene was the oldest daughter of 14 children.

As a child, she worked on the family farm and helped her parents to care for her siblings. She married Joseph M. Champagne on June 1, 1940, and he passed away on Dec. 5, 1979.

Once in America, she worked in cotton mills for most of her adult life. Her last employment was at Northeast Bank, where she worked part time for several years prior to her retirement.

Her legacy will be that she instilled a strong love and commitment of family to her children, Richard Champagne and wife, Jane, Gisele Landry and husband, Paul, Victor Champagne and his wife, Carol, who passed away on Aug. 1, 2014. She was blessed with eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.She will also be missed by her siblings, Alice Lufkin, Marie Bolduc and Marguerite Larochelle, all of Lewiston and Laurent and Claude Jalbert of Connecticut.

Irene was predeceased by four brothers, Albert, Herve, Pierre and Patrick Jalbert; and four sisters, Cecilia Gagnon, Bernadette Audet, Fern Vachon and Laurette Jalbert.