Salem, MA – Orille Wilbrod L’Heureux, 81, of Salem, died peacefully at home on December 3, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. Orille’s generous spirit, infectious laugh and love of a good time had a positive and lasting impact on everyone he met. He was a true extrovert and was happiest when he was with family and friends, sharing a meal and a glass of red wine and telling jokes and stories. Orille never missed a party and was that guest who arrived first, bearing food and drink, and left last. He was a loving and beloved husband, Dad, Pépère/Pa, brother, Uncle O, nephew, cousin and friend.
Orille was a lifelong resident of Salem, a city he loved. He was born on April 14, 1933, in the former Lincoln Hotel on lower Lafayette St., which his father owned at the time. He was the eldest child of Delia (Audette) and Orille A. L’Heureux. The family moved to Cherry Street when Orille was a young child. He was raised in a French-speaking home, and only learned English when he began elementary school at St. Joseph’s School. He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 1951 and from Boston College School of Business in 1955.
It was while attending B.C. that he met his future wife, Mary T. Kelley, of Marblehead, also a B.C. student. Orille served in the U.S. Army in Germany after college and, upon his discharge in 1957, he and Mary were married and started a family, first living on Ropes St. and eventually moving to the family home on Francis Rd.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurial business owners, it was only natural that Orille follow the same path. He owned and operated Multi-Save Supermarket on Congress St. for two decades in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The store was a neighborhood fixture and Orille treated his customers like family. During the holidays, Santa Claus spent time at the store so kids could sit on his lap, and customers were treated to punch and cookies on Christmas Eve.
Orille also owned several rooming and apartment houses in Salem, and took pride in being a hands-on and responsible landlord. His tenants often became friends, renting from him for years.
In 1970, Orille joined the Salem chapter of Club Richelieu, an international organization dedicated to preserving the French-Canadian culture and raising funds for charity. He served on the Board of Directors and was elected President for three terms in 1983-1984, 2003-2005 and 2007-2008. Orille devoted himself to the Club, organizing and leading meetings and fundraising events, attending conventions all over New England and Canada, and making friends everywhere he went. He also made a memorable trip to Paris with the Club. Even as his health was failing this fall, he was happy to spend a day at a Richelieu convention in Rhode Island with fellow Club member and friend, Armand Devoe.
Orille was an active St. Joseph’s School alumnus, a member of Knights of Columbus Veragua Council No. 76 and Witch City VFW Post 1524, and a past member of the Greater Salem Landlord Association.
In recent years, Orille and Mary traveled to Paris – his favorite city – and Las Vegas and New York.
In addition to Mary, his wife of 57 years, Orille is survived by four children, Maryann L’Heureux of Salem, Katherine Garrard and her husband, Steven of Gorham, ME, Karen Moody and her husband, Michael of Haverhill, and Charles L’Heureux of Queen Creek, AZ, five grandchildren, Kelley, Meghan and Lauren Garrard and John and Stephen Moody, and a special grand-niece, Sophia Poussard. He also leaves his siblings Lucille Bouchard, Irene Poussard and her husband, Arthur, and Roger L’Heureux and his wife, Virginia, as well as two aunts, Rita Dilisio and Pauline Audette, and many, many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was the uncle of the late Elise Bouchard and brother-in-law of the late Gaston Bouchard.
The family would like to thank Dr. James Weitzman, Mary Walsh, N.P. and the rest of the staff of MGH North Shore Cancer Center for their excellent care, and Luz Tejeda, R.N. and the staff of Care Dimensions for helping the family care for Orille at home these last few months.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to visiting hours on Monday, December 8, 2014 at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Route 114 / 1-A] Salem from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. His funeral mass will be on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 10:00 A.M. in St. James Church, 156 Federal St., Salem. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Orille’s memory be made to: Club Richelieu Salem, Inc., P.O. Box 455, Salem, MA 01970, Attn.: Plummer Home for Boys Fund. For additional information and guestbook, please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com
Bon soir mes amis