Gisele B. Durocher

LEWISTON – Gisele B. Durocher, formerly of Lewiston, died on July 15, 2022.

Born in Lewiston April 19, 1935, the daughter of the late Maurice and Jeanne Filion Bilodeau, she graduated from St. Peter’s Grammar School in 1949, St. Dominic Regional High School, class of 1953, and the University of Georgia, School for Executive Development, in Athens, Ga. in 1982.

She started working at First Federal Savings and Loan Association as a teller the day following her high school graduation. On March 26, 1974, she was promoted to Assistant Corporate Secretary/Teller Supervisor, becoming the first woman to be an officer of First Federal. After 40 years of service, she retired on May 21, 1993 as Chief Operations Officer/Corporate Secretary/Human Resource Manager, having gone from teller to second in command of the Bank as Senior Vice-President.

On September 27, 1958 Gisele married the love of her life, Roland Durocher at SS Peter and Paul Basilica. She was a former trustee of St. Dominic Regional High School Endowment Board; former director/VP marketing of the Androscoggin Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Banking; former member of the American Savings and Loan Institute; former treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliaries, Council 106, Knights of Columbus; former Employee Campaign Manager, United Way of Androscoggin County; member of St Dom’s Alumni Association; member and former Eucharistic Minister at SS Peter and Paul Basilica, Prince of Peace Parish; former chairperson of the Finance Commission and co-chair of the Social Justice and Peace Commission of SS Peter and Paul; member of the SS Peter and Paul Society; former member of Portland Diocesan Stewardship Committee; volunteer and auxiliary member of St Mary’s Regional Medical Center; former member/treasurer of SCORE(Service Corps of Retired Executives) and “Honorary Citizen of Boys Town”.

Her interests included theater, concerts, sports and traveling through all 50 States, Bermuda, Aruba, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

Gisele is survived by two sons, Paul (Dawn), Robert (Jeanne Marie), a daughter, Michelle (Chris); four grandchildren, Allison (Frank), Jennifer, Sarah and Jason; and three great-grandchildren, Sean, Julie, and Hobie Paul; a sister, Yolande Roy, one brother, Julien and wife Pauline, sisters-in-law Laurette Bilodeau of Lewiston and Lorraine Durocher of South Windsor, Conn.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Roland Durocher; a brother, Gerald Bilodeau, her sister, Claudette Bilodeau and brothers-in-law Norman Roy and Maurice “Mike” Durocher.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Peter’s and Paul Basilica (Upper Church) at 11 a.m. on July 28, committal services will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery Mausoleum.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of The Fortin Group, 70 Horton St., Lewiston, ME 04240. 207-784-4584

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Gisele’s memory can be made to either Alzheimer’s Foundation

of America or

St. Dominic Academy Scholarship fund

121 Gracelawn Rd.

Auburn, ME 04210