Rolande Labonte Bolduc

MEGANTIC, Quebec – Rolande Labonte Bolduc passed away on Feb. 22, 2024, at the age of 101 years and seven months. She outlived her mother by one and a half months. Rolande was born on July 17, 1922 in Saint-Evariste-de-Forsyth, Quebec.

On July 3, 1946, she married Leo Bolduc. Rolande and Leo were blessed with seven children, all currently living in the U.S. The first five children were boys and were all born in Canada. They lived at their farm in Ste. Evariste, Quebec. In 1955, they moved to Rumford so that Leo could continue in the logging business and start his business in the USA. Once in the USA, Leo’s logging operation grew, and they had two more children, including their first girl and then another boy. They eventually moved from Rumford to their home on Roxbury Road, Mexico.
Tragically on Jan. 5, 1963, Leo was killed in an accident while at work, witnessed by four of his children and other workers in Peru. At the time of her husband’s death, her children were between the ages of three months and 15 years old. Rolande met with all her children shortly after her husband’s death and told them “We will make it.”

She moved to Sherbrooke, Canada, with her five youngest children following the accident. Within a year, she returned to the USA to reunite her family. She continued life while working and raising her children.

Rolande worked many years hand sewing shoes to support her family for several different Rumford/Wilton area shoe companies. One condition she made on her employment was having summers off so that she could take the kids and head to Lac St. Francois in Quebec to their camp.

Companies always accepted her conditions as she was so proficient at her craft. She would spend her entire summer at camp with the kids until school was back in session in the Mexico school system. This camp had been completed just prior to Leo’s death. She could be seen headed to Canada in her station wagon with her seven children.
In May of 1978, she graduated from Mexico High School, the same year as her daughter, Diane.

She did not re-marry until her youngest child, Mark, graduated high school and headed off to college as this was her promise. She married Gerard Lessard of Lac Drolet, Quebec on Sept. 20, 1980, and returned to be a resident of Canada for the remainder of her life. She was married to Gerard for 20 years until his passing on Dec. 31, 1999. They were very active together including dancing, shuffleboard games, quality time at the camp and winter stays in Florida in the 1980’s.

Following Gerard’s death, she moved out of their home and into a small apartment in Lac Megantic, on the same street as her prior home with Gerard. The Lac St. François camp had a renovation completed by her daughter, Diane, and son-in-law, Mike Perry, in September of 1999, thus allowing her greater comfort and joy for many years to come.

In 2006, she moved into Village Harmonie retirement residence as this was the grand opening for this residence. She continued to spend summers at camp on Lac St. François for many years.

She purchased a new 2015 Mazda 3 car at the age of 93 and continued driving independently until the age of 96. She often complained about older drivers, including when she was 96. She was very sharp until the Covid pandemic when mandatory lockdowns forced her into isolation for almost a year.
Despite the pandemic setback, she stayed in the Village Harmonie residence until her passing and was independent living until the last week of her life. Her routine included billiards, shuffleboard, puzzles, word searches as she was often out and about in the residence. This made it very difficult to reach her by phone in her apartment.

Her strength with all she went through was extraordinary and her children were always her priority. She is a great role model for her many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her son, Paul Bolduc, daughter-in-law, Lisete Bolduc; granddaughter Lisa Lentz; son, Carmel Bolduc, son, Noel Bolduc, daughter-in-law, Sarah Bolduc, grandson Curtis Bolduc, granddaughter Serena Flagg, grandson, Ryan Knapp; son, Gil Bolduc, daughter-in-law Rita Bolduc, granddaughter Kristine Markuns, grandson Leo Bolduc; son, Lenny Bolduc, daughter-in-law Sharon Bolduc; daughter, Diane Perry, son-in-law Mike Perry, granddaughter Leah Perry, granddaughter Julia Perry; son, Mark Bolduc, daughter-in-law Kim Bolduc, grandson, Eric Bolduc, granddaughter Natalie Nicols, granddaughter Celine Bolduc; and many great-grandchildren that she loved so dearly.
She was predeceased by her mother, Rosanna Morin-Labonte; father, Adolphe Labonte; husband, Leo Bolduc; husband, Gerard Lessard; daughter-in-law, Dawn Bolduc (Carmel’s spouse); and her 17 siblings.

Graveside services and Celebration of Life shall occur in Canada this summer with date to be determined.