Wilfrid A. Paradis

1921 – 2009

AUBURN – Wilfrid A. Paradis, 88, of 91 Gagne St., Lewiston, died Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Hospice House in Auburn with his family by his side.

Born in Lewiston on July 3, 1921, he was the son of Adelard and Marietta Lebrun Paradis. Educated in local schools, he was a graduate of Lewiston High School, Class of ’39. He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and on June 21, 1947, he married the former Therese Y. Gagne. Mrs. Gagne passed away on June 3, 2005. He worked for a while as a master electrician and then for many years ran his own appliance repair business, retiring in 1994 after open heart surgery.

After retiring, he went to work part-time for Shaw’s Supermarket, and was well liked by coworkers and management. A member of Holy Cross Church, Prince of Peace Parish, he was also active in the Knights of Columbus Council 12652, American Legion Post 22, was a Lector, Collector and extraordinary Eucharistic minister, was involved for several years with CCD and retreats at the St. Paul Center, lived a Cursillo weekend, and worked as a religious facilitator for prison ministries at the Androscoggin County Jail for some 20 years.

Survivors include three sons, Mark and wife, Ronnie, of Lewiston, Jean and wife, Connie, of Auburndale, Fla., and Marcel and wife, Candice, of St. Cloud, Fla.; a daughter, Joan and husband, Phil Theberge, of Lewiston, whom he lived with following the death of his wife; two brothers, Robert Paradis and wife, Marion, of Latuque, PQ, Canada and Jerry Paradis of Cape Canaveral, Fla.; two sisters, Georgette and husband, J.C. Sweat, of Stuart, Fla., and Alfreda Paradis of Lewiston; five grandsons, Zachary Paradis and wife, Laura, Phillip Paradis, Jared Theberge and wife, Laurie, Jake Theberge and Senior Airman, Allan Paradis, who is serving in Afghanistan; three granddaughters, Nicole Poteet, Jaime Spencer and husband, Todd, and Claire Paradis; six great-grandchildren, Whitney Reyes, Garrett Poteet, Hunter, Cooper and Marlee Spencer and Ethan Theberge; and a great-great-grandson, Damian Reyes.

Besides his parents and wife, he was predeceased by a daughter, Claire Paradis; two sisters, Jeannette Bonenfant and Laurette Paradis; and a brother, Paul Paradis.