MINOT — Arlene Bernier Ouellette Roach passed away on Christmas Eve after a long illness. She was born on Jan. 26, 1936, the second child born to Reine Blanche Vachon and Lucien Bernier Sr. She married her first husband, Normand Ouellette Sr., in 1954, and had eight children. She married her second husband, Robert “Flick” Roach, in 1974, and had one son.

In her teens, she was a majorette for the Jacques Chartier Drum and Bugle Corps. During her life, she worked in local shoe shops and worked as a waitress at Martindale Country Club, Cooper’s Restaurant, Poland Spring Hotel and Wentworth Hotel, in New Hampshire. While waitressing at the Poland Spring Hotel, she met Sonny Liston and Mohammed Ali (when he was known as Cassius Clay) the night before their big fight in Lewiston.

After she married Flick, they traveled to Indiana, Florida, Maine and Michigan, where they finally settled. They lived on Mackinac Island, Mich., where she worked in several hotels doing housekeeping. She was working for the Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island as the executive housekeeper when she retired at the age of 70. After retiring, she moved to Maine to live with her daughter, Susan.

She is survived by her children: Susan Trottier and husband, Gerry, of Minot; Normand Ouellette Jr. and wife, Patti, of Indiana; Paul Ouellette and wife, Sissi, of Michigan; Tina Campbell and husband, James, of Virginia; Daniel Ouellette, of Florida; Kim Ouellette and fiance, Tim Richmeier, of Arizona; Rob Ouellette and wife, Bonnie, of Auburn; brother, Lucien Bernier Jr., of Gray; aunts Marguerite Nadeau and Rita Berube; and uncle, Gaston Vachon, all of Lewiston; her nieces: Nancy Windle, Linda Verrill, Annette Clark and Diane Bernier; nephews: David, Ronnie and Albert Bernier, Daniel and Donald Morin; her 18 grandchildren: James, Aimee Lynn, Jason, Jessica, Kevin, Lexy, Chauntel, Nicole, Jennifer, CarolAnn, Anthony, Danielle, Arielle, Caitlin, Heather, Kayla, Wendy and Ashley; 10 great-grandchildren: Tenisha, Hannah, Alexis, Hunter, Tegan, Rosalie, Jada, Jaxson, Ethan, Dawson and baby girl, McKinley, due in February; and one great-great-grandson, Tucker James.

She was predeceased by her husband, Flick; her daughter, Carol Ann Maciejewski; her son, Robert L. Roach Jr.; her parents; her godparents, Stephanie and Volare Vachon; her sister, Lilliane Morin; and grandson, Justin Ouelette.

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Arlene Roach

Arlene Roach