Simone Germaine Rossignol Cote

LISBON – Our beautiful mother left us the morning of Oct. 6, 2022, just shy of her 102nd birthday. She lived her life with strength, humility, and grace, and was an example to us all of how we should live our lives. She always gave of herself and was our biggest supporter.

She was born Oct. 30, 1920, in Van Buren, Maine, and was the daughter of Joseph and Edithe Rossignol. One of 21 children, Simone grew up in Frenchville and, along with many of her siblings, spent many hours working in the potato fields at the family farm. She remembered living in a large home that had originally been built by a local doctor to be a hospital, and always having lots of children around.

Simone graduated at the top of her class from Dewey School at age 16 and, accompanied by her younger sister and best friend Jeanne, relocated ahead of the rest of the family to Lewiston to find work in the shoe industry.

Simone loved dancing and it was at a dance hall that she was introduced to her future husband Bertrand Cote by his brother Fernand. They married on June 29, 1946, and relocated for a few years to Connecticut, before returning to Lewiston in 1951.

Simone worked at various jobs, including spinning at the Continental Mill and other shoe factories, before obtaining her license as a Certified Nurse Assistant, where she found her calling. She worked in nursing homes, caring for the elderly and sick. She decided to open her own boarding home, which was rare for women at that time. She named it St. Jude Home after her patron saint. During this time, she took in a young man named Jimmy Gallant when he needed a place to live and treated him like one of her own children. After St. Jude closed in 1979, she worked at the Lamp nursing home on the overnight shift, taking care of 24 elderly patients with Alzheimer’s.

Simone was a tremendous sports enthusiast; there was no greater fan of the Boston Red Sox and the other New England teams. She enjoyed watching games with her husband and children. She loved the outdoors and activities such as swimming, where she was often the first to dive off of the rock into the water, bicycling, and winter sports. She excelled in bowling, winning many awards for high average and best series, and played on a winning team at Good Time Lanes in Lisbon Falls. After retiring, Simone enjoyed sewing, crocheting, knitting, taking senior bus trips with Bertrand, and basket weaving. She attended a basket makers’ convention in North Carolina with her daughter Irene. She fulfilled a longtime dream of going to Hawaii with her sister Elsie.

Simone was of Catholic faith and was a regular churchgoer for many years. She contributed to many fund raisers and bazars to support her local church. She made baby sweaters and gave them to pregnant women. She sang in the choir at St. Anne’s church in Lisbon and later was a member of Holy Trinity Church in Lisbon Falls. She also volunteered at the local food bank.

After the passing of her husband Bertrand in 2002, Simone lived for several years with her daughter Irene and her husband Richard in Lisbon and later in Florida, and then in Topsham and Lisbon with her daughter Linda, who became her caregiver in the final years of her life.

Simone was the last of a family of 21 children. She was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Bertrand, her parents, Edithe and Joseph Rossignol, her daughter Doris Cecile Cote, her granddaughter Bridget Slotemaker, and 20 brothers and sisters. She is survived by her daughter Irene Bowie and her husband Richard of Satsuma, Florida, her daughter Linda Lally of Lisbon, her son Rene Cote of Poinciana, Florida, and her son David Cote of Turner; her grandchildren John Bowie, Jennifer Lally, Kristina Therrien, and Julie Ouellette; her great-grandchildren Grace Connor, Grace Slotemaker, Chloe Slotemaker, Avery Ouellette, and Luca Ouellette and many nieces and nephews.

There will be no visitation. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Church Thursday Oct. 13, at 1 p.m. Graveside Committal Prayers will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery.

To leave a message for the family in their online guestbook, please visit http://www.crosmanfuneralhome.com.

A service of Crosman Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 40 Main St. Lisbon Falls, 353-4951.



Simone Germaine Rossignol Cote