Laurette Madeleine Dumais Vaillancourt

Laurette Vaillancourt, 97 years old, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2021. She was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine. As a daughter of immigrants from Quebec, the first language she heard and spoke was French. She had a happy childhood in Maine with her five siblings, many cousins and friends. She loved ice skating in the winter. Her mother taught her how to cook, crochet and embroider. The church was a center of her family’s life and she especially enjoyed the St. John the Baptist festival every June.
Laurette knew her husband-to-be, Roland, from the time she was a young girl because he lived across the street. They began dating when he came back from World War II, and married in 1950. They had two children, a son Gerald and a daughter Joline. Laurette and Roland moved their young family to New Hampshire in 1963. She raised her precious children there. She was a gentle, loving mother. She grew roses, gladiolas and lots of vegetables in their yard. Gardening was her favorite pastime. And Laurette always had a job. She worked for defense contractor Sanders Associates for over 20 years assembling complex electronic boards and was very good at delicate, intricate work.
She enjoyed traveling and sightseeing, from honeymooning in New York City to family road trips and a Caribbean cruise. She and Roland spent their 50th anniversary in Hawaii, a dream come true. When they retired, Laurette and Roland moved back to Maine, to beautiful Brunswick. It was close to the ocean and they loved going out to eat fresh seafood. She made good friends there and found time to take long walks and try new recipes (she was a good cook!). Her world was turned upside down when Roland passed away 12 years ago. But she inspired all of us with her strength and resolve to continue living a good life.
In 2016 she moved to Heber City, Utah to be close to her daughter. The residents and staff of Spring Gardens Senior Living were charmed by Laurette’s sweet nature and positive attitude. She was always up for whatever activity was offered and loved taking walks with her daughter, even after recovering from a broken hip. Over the last year she slowed down as her long, full life finally caught up with her. Laurette and her family were grateful for and blessed by the staff of Spring Gardens for their heartfelt attention during her years in their care, as well as for her fellow residents whose generosity of spirit made her feel welcome. In addition, the kindness and professionalism shown by the team from Intermountain Hospice made a genuine impact on the quality of her last days.
Laurette is survived by her two children Jerry Vaillancourt of Wethersfield, CT and Joline (Vincent) Esposito of Heber City, UT; by her granddaughter Lindsey Vaillancourt (Jason Byrne) and great-granddaughter Olivia Byrne of Wethersfield, CT; by her sister Anita Rivard of Lewiston, ME, and brother Louis Dumais of Parrish, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Roland, her siblings Jeanne d’Arc Turgeon, Rita Mosko, and Gerard Dumais, and daughter-in-law Pamela Vaillancourt. A funeral mass is scheduled on Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 at 3:00 pm MDT at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1505 White Pine Canyon Road, Park City, UT. All are invited to attend. Live streaming of the service can be accessed at: http://zoom.us/j/4356545458 .
A memorial service and interment will take place in Maine later this year.