Claudette Edith Mailhot

AUBURN – Claudette Edith Mailhot was born on Oct. 12, 1940, in the small village of Notre-Dame-des-Pins in the Province of Québec, Canada, to parents Alice (Poulin) and Mathias Gilbert. She passed away on May 6, 2026, peacefully in her bed following a period of declining health.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Richard H. Mailhot, who was always watchful of her well-being. They were married for just shy of 65 years and lived together in Lewiston and Auburn, and around the country in their motor home for several surprising years after retiring. She also leaves her sons, Scott Mailhot and wife Tina Surh, with grandchildren Delphine, Julian, and Olivier Mailhot; and Steven Mailhot and wife Michele Kenney, with granddaughter Alice Mailhot. One of seven siblings, she is also survived by three brothers and her dear sister, as well as her brother-in-law, along with their children: Richard Gilbert and wife Lucille; Yvon Gilbert and wife Frances; Michael Gilbert and wife Linda; Francine Gilbert; and her husband’s brother, Paul Mailhot. She was predeceased by her brothers Julien Gilbert and Bertrand Gilbert.

Claudette lived in Québec until her early teens, when her family moved to Maine and settled in Auburn. Economic recession during her childhood in Canada made life difficult at times and the family needed to make sacrifices, work hard, and be resourceful. She would say that as a baby she slept in a drawer instead of a crib. But her years growing up in Québec also made up many of her happiest memories. She returned regularly to visit with extended family during most of her adult life; and the French language of Québec and Maine always made her feel at home. It is no exaggeration to say a part of her never left Canada, and in 2023 she regained her citizenship and became a dual citizen, a beaming occasion.

She met her future husband, Richard, while working at a lunch counter in downtown Lewiston. They would go dancing—and you could see their joy in dancing with one another their whole lives, including after they moved into assisted living together. They built a life together in Lewiston, working hand-in-hand throughout in a remarkable display of life partnership.

During many of these years she worked “downstairs” in a genuine mom-and-pop business, Mailhot’s Electronics, while caring for their young sons “upstairs,” with the help of her mother-in-law. She kept the books, answered the phone, manned the store, and acted as Richard’s dispatcher when he was on the road making service calls—in other words, doing whatever needed to be done. In later years, she held jobs at a banking operations center and at the Maine State Legislature. She was a cheerful and dedicated contributor in every aspect.

Claudette loved to travel, and she and Richard made quite a few trips to distant places exotic to their upbringing, including Europe and the Canary Islands, Barbados, Mexico, Hawaii, and Taiwan. Scott’s and Steven’s childhoods are colored with the souvenirs they brought home. At the same time, Claudette was not an obvious adventurer. Yet after retiring, she and Richard astonished nearly everyone by selling their house and going on the road in their motorhome. They lived as “vagabonds” (her word) for several years, setting down variously to live in places from Maine to Arizona, making many solid friends along the way. In retrospect, it was not so surprising to see how, ever teammates, they built this next stage of life together.

Claudette never enjoyed cooking that much; but she was always ready to prepare a meal, and she made excellent baked beans and superb meat pies. She loved animals and doted on her dogs and cats. She took great and obvious pleasure in family gatherings and celebrations. And she was deeply moved by little children.

Claudette adored her brothers and one sister, and family was her only priority. While it seems trite to say, she was truly devoted to and radiantly proud of her sons and her grandchildren. She never stopped worrying about them. She gave them everything she had.

For the last two and a half years, Claudette lived with Richard at Schooner Memory Care, sharing the same rooms and their same bed. The staff at Schooner quickly recognized her sweet, gentle nature and adopted her as their own memère, providing her with tremendous love and care right up to the hours before her passing away.

Claudette was easy to like and to love. But her patience and kindness, her generosity and uncomplaining fortitude, are enormous and enduring gifts that she leaves for those blessed to have known and loved her.

Family and friends are invited to express condolences and share fond memories of Claudette by visiting her memorial page at http://www.albert-burpee.com.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday, May 15, 2026, from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. that will be celebrated in the Upper Church of the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Lewiston. Committal prayers will follow graveside at St. Peter’s Cemetery, also in Lewiston.

Arrangements are under the care of Albert & Burpee Funeral Home & Cremation Services 253 Pine St. Lewiston, 782-7201.

The family welcomes flowers. For any who would prefer an alternative, donations may be made in Claudette’s memory to:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at

stjude.org