Lewis Alire Ouilette Jr. obituary

Lewis Alire Ouilette Jr.
1927-2018

MADISON – Lewis A. Ouilette, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully with his family at his side on July 17, 2018.
He was born in Fairfield Center on July 19, 1927, the son of Florence (Ronco) and Lewis Ouilette Sr.

Lew graduated from Skowhegan High School, class of 1944. While attending the University of Maine, Lew left for a time to serve in the U.S. Navy. After his service, he finished his bachelor’s degree in engineering. For the majority of his working life, Lew was a shoe design engineer at Alfonds Shoe, Norwalk Shoe, Viners Shoes, Little Falls Footwear, other famous designers and special needs shoes. He worked all over the U.S. and was known professionally as an expert in his trade.
On Oct. 30, 1948, he married Joyce Fenderson and they raised their sons Nick and Dean in Madison.
Joyce passed away in January 1976. In February 1977, Lew married Katie Valliere-Denis and with her three children they made their home in East Madison. Although Lew dabbled in real estate in New Hampshire, he was most active in his retirement working for Allied Realty and Whittemore’s Real Estate.
Lew was an active member of the cRotary International and Kiwanis. He also served on Madison Planning Board and others throughout the Madison-Skowhegan area, including serving on the Finance Committee for Christ the King Catholic parish in Skowhegan, Madison and Bingham. He loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He made many great memories with Nick, Dean, Russell, Matt, Kenny, Mac and others during the many fishing trips to Bull Dog Pond and Parlin Pond and most recently at a pond in Aroostook County.
Lew also loved going to and acting in live theater. While in Little Falls, N.Y., he performed in “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Oliver.”
Lew is survived by his wife of 41 years, Kathleen “Katie” Ouilette; son, Nick Ouilette; son, Dean Ouilette and his wife Donna; step-children, Craig Denis and his wife Laurie and Lynn Rooney; grandchildren, Danny Ouilette, Michelle Wilhelm, Matthew Ouilette, Brittany Bondar, Angela Norton, Andrea Standring, Mark Denis, Paul Denis, Danielle Denis, Roxie Paine, Leigh Paine and DJ; great grandchildren, Landon Arevelo, Kinley, Caden, and Kyler Wilhelm, Olive and Frances Ouilette, Arabella-Joyce Bondar, Rylie Norton, Colvin, Alexis and Cody Standring, Sydney Duncan, Reese and Owen Paine; sister, Elene Higgins and her husband George; dear friends and neighbors, Drew and Suzanne Ketterer, Charles Clements, and Jordan and Celine Richards.
Lew was predeceased by his parents; wife, Joyce; step-son, Russell Denis; and sister, Ina.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Friday, Aug. 3, at Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church, Water Street, Skowhegan, with the Rev. James Nadeau, celebrant. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Canaan. Family and friends are invited to a reception at Lew and Katie’s home following services.
Lew’s family extends their deepest appreciation to Dr. Donald Dubois, Melissa Michaud, and the nurses and staff at Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Maplecrest Nursing Home and Beacon Hospice for the compassionate care they provided Lew and the entire family.
Lew and Katie’s grandson Landen is a cancer survivor because of the wonderful research at St Jude’s. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial and Honor Gifts P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142