Normand Raymond Dion

EXETER, N.H. – Normand Raymond Dion, 86, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, NH after a brief illness. He was born on March 10, 1933 in Lewiston, Maine to Edgar and Alice (Couillard) Dion. Normand grew up in Lewiston attending Holy Cross School. He married Doris Bouchard on May 29, 1954 and of their union five children were born.Normand was once employed as a driver for Hudson Bus Line before leaving to become a firefighter with the Lewiston Fire Department. His career spanned 28 years involving numerous assignments at Central Fire Station and rotations at each of the city’s neighborhood firehouses. He retired from the department in 1986 at the rank of Lieutenant. He also served his community as a soldier with the Maine National Guard. Normand spent many summers fishing the waters of Androscoggin Lake in Monmouth. He always made sure that camp was a place where his family and friends could gather and make lifelong memories. His favorite retreats were the mountains of North Conway, NH and the ocean views to be enjoyed in Boothbay Harbor.His passion, above any other pursuit, was gardening. Whether he was growing vegetables or flowers no effort was too little or too great in pursuing his vision of what was possible to accomplish with seeds, cuttings and all manner of plants. He earned a well-deserved reputation among many for the successes his green thumb could yield.Normand is survived by his son, Mark and his wife Cheryl of Portland, their daughters, Ashley and her husband, Isaac Little of Carlsbad, California as well as their sons, Dylan and Kade; Brittany and her husband, Kurt Roscillo of Oceanside, California and their daughter, Carsyn; his daughter, Monique and her husband, John Schreiber of Lewiston, their sons, Benjamin and his wife, Victoria of Minot, their daughter, Laurali and son, Ryker; and their son, David and his fiancée, Jenna LaBreque both of Boston, Mass.; his daughter, Diane and her husband, Marc St Pierre of Lewiston, and their daughter, Allyson and her husband, Kyle Feltis of Topsham, and their daughter, Aubrey and son, Parker; and daughter, Sara and her husband, Ryan Michaud of Greene and their sons, Owen and Evan; his son, Tom and his wife, Stacy of Kingston, NH and his son in law, Tina and Steve Beaudin of Lewiston, husband to his late daughter, Suzanne and their son, Dana of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and daughter, Kara of Framingham, Mass. Left to also cherish his memory, are Giselle Lavoie, his long-time companion, and his dear friends and neighbors, Normand and Cheryl Rivard as well as those numerous other relatives and friends he had touched throughout his life.A Visitation will be held at The Fortin Group Lewiston from 4:00 pm to 6:00 Pm on Monday, January 6, 2019 with a Memorial Service to follow.In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Normand’s name be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, a charity to which he was devoted to.