Georgette C. Clavet
LEWISTON – Georgette C. Clavet, 82, of Lewiston died on Monday, April 4, 2022, at 6 p.m. at her daughter’s home after battling ovarian cancer for multiple years. She received compassionate support and palliative care from Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice staff throughout her journey from the physical world to Our Lord’s heavenly gates.
As a devout Catholic and member of Holy Family Church in Lewiston, she enjoyed walking to church on Sundays with her late husband Emile R. Clavet. She also served the community through prayer vigils that she held weekly at Holy Cross Chapel with her late sister Madeleine Girardin.
Georgette was born on Dec. 4, 1939 and was the eleventh of 18 children born to the late Thomas and Bernadette Grenier. Her close knit French Canadian family was comprised of 10 boys and eight girls. The Greniers grew up in a home on North Temple Street at a time when the roads were unpaved, when children spent all day outside running barefoot, stopping to drink water out of the family hose, playing baseball, picking strawberries, delivering newspapers and gathering around the radio to listen to Red Sox games when there wasn’t a TV set in every home. Life was more simple then and the Grenier family bond remains strong to this day.
Georgette married Emile R. Clavet in a double wedding held at Holy Family Church on May 31, 1960, with her late sister Madeleine and husband Robert Girardin. Georgette’s spouse Emile died in July, 2010 after their 50-year marriage so Georgette filled her free time tending to over one acre of perennial gardens that she and Emile had cultivated together at their home on Grove Street in Lewiston where she lived for 57 years.
She shared that her most joyful moments were those days spent with her four surviving children, son, Emile L. and wife Jane Clavet and their children Gage, Lexi, Loren and Mitchell of Harpswell; daughter, Celeste M. and her children Samantha and Marshall Dean and her husband Michael Onofrio of Lewiston; daughter, Venise M. and husband Mark Fournier and their children Hannah, Noah and Elijah of Carrabassett Valley; and son, Luke J. and his wife Terry Clavet of Lewiston.
She rarely missed a sporting event that involved one of her grandchildren, or any high school or college graduations. Her loyalty to family was unwavering.
Georgette leaves behind her sisters Ginette, Marthe, Joanne, Claudette and brothers Bernard, Pierre, John and Paul.
In heaven, she will be greeted by her late husband, Emile; and their son, Bernard; her late sisters Jeannine, Madeleine, Bernadette and brothers Earl, Rudolphe, Rene, Raymond, Gerald and Thomas.
Georgette worked for Tambrands and Fancy Stitchers in her early years after graduating from Lewiston High School in 1958. She then worked for the United States Postal Service for over 20 years as the first female letter carrier in Lewiston. She rarely missed a day of work in those 20 years of service and upon retirement, gave away a full year’s worth of paid time off hours to her postal colleagues who needed vacation time to care for their family members. She was the type of parent that welcomed all the neighborhood kids and cousins to her yard for a game of hide ‘n seek, kickball, croquet, four-squares, red light, green light, swimming and barbequing. Her yard was always bustling with friends and family members.
She was so successful creating perennial gardens that people came from near and far to learn her gardening tips. She claimed that her soil was as valuable as gold. It is befitting that her funeral will be held on Earth Day as no one appreciated Maine and its coastline as much as Georgie. All of her children have taken plantings from their home on Grove Street and transferred Georgette’s perennials to their yards across the state; continuing the tradition of gardening for years to come.
Georgette was described by most as having the biggest smile, the kindest heart, a zest for life with a most robust laugh. She faced her medical challenges with courage and acceptance and she was an example to her children of a life well lived. She will be missed immensely but her life will be celebrated by family and friends for all time. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at http://www.lynchbrothers.com
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Church on Friday April 22, at 11 a.m. Family and friends are invited to visit on Thursday April 21, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Pinette Dillingham and Lynch Funeral Home 305 Alfred Plourde Parkway, Lewiston, ME 04240. 784-4023.