Corinne Gardner Verreault
YARMOUTH – Corinne Gardner Verreault, 95, formerly of Lewiston, died peacefully on Nov. 12, 2022, hours after her 70th wedding anniversary. She was born in February of 1927 at the family farm on Perkins Ridge (now part of Wallingford’s Orchard and Lost Valley) in Auburn during a major blizzard. It was so snowy that her father had to pick up the doctor in a horse drawn sleigh and take him to the farm.
Rural farm life and the Great Depression shaped her life of hard work and frugality.
She attended a one room schoolhouse on “The Ridge” and, along with her sister Alice, won a wildflower collecting and identifying contest. She graduated from Edward Little in 1945.
Corinne was an environmentalist before it was in vogue, decrying disposable diapers and plastic shopping bags in the early 1970s. She was whip smart, sharp-eyed, and intensely shy. She was a lifelong avid reader, loved crossword puzzles and Bananagrams, was a prolific gardener on her small urban lot, and thoroughly enjoyed garage sales.
Corinne lived independently until just a few weeks before turning 95. The last surviving sibling, she was born the 9th of 11 children of the late Adelard and Anna (Theriault) Gardner and the widow of her beloved Normand Verreault, whom she married on Nov. 11, 1952 (Armistice Day which became Veteran’s Day – so they could always have the day off). Corinne and Norm made their home on Green Street in Lewiston for over 60 years.
As a product of the Great Depression, she never used a full stick of gum or an entire tissue where ½ would do. She was a seamstress at the Pepperell Mill sewing sheets and pillowcases. She joked that she sewed a straight line for 20 years. In addition, she was a landlord and a bookkeeper for Norm’s plumbing business.
Corinne was also predeceased by six brothers, Laurent, Arsene, George, Camille, John, and Reginald and four sisters, Marthe Heutz, Laurette Gardner, Madeline Jeannotte, and Alice Grover.
She is survived by son Marc and wife Anne Herzenberg of Medfield, Mass., daughter Anne Verreault Ross and partner Clyde Wentworth of North Yarmouth; grandchildren Ben (wife Liz) and Adam (wife Annette); great grandchildren Nathaniel, Samuel, Madelyn; and many nieces and nephews.
Her family would like to thank the staff at Coastal Manor in Yarmouth and staff and volunteers at Beacon Hospice.
A funeral Mass honoring Corinne’s life will be celebrated on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 11 a.m., at Holy Family Church. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27 from 6-8 p.m. at the Pinette Dillingham & Lynch Funeral Home 305 Alfred A. Plourde Parkway in Lewiston. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at http://www.lynchbrothers.com .
Anyone wishing to honor Corinne could make a donation to their favorite charity in her name or to:
The Basilica of Sts. Peter & Paul Maintenance Fund
c/o Prince of Peace Parish
16 St. Croix Street
P.O. Box 1540
Lewiston, ME 04241
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