Eugene (Gene) A. A. Rouleau Brien died peacefully on July 5, 2020, surrounded by his family at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, NH after a brief illness.
Gene was born in Manchester, NH on March 26, 1943, son of Simone (Charpentier) Brien and Alfred E. Rouleau, and later adopted by Raymond H. Brien. He grew up in Auburn, NH on the family dairy farm, working as a farm hand until the farm was sold in 1968. On October 24, 1970 he married his “Honey”, Barbara Jean Cowling Brien of Brattleboro, VT. He worked as a truck driver in Manchester, NH at Genest/Nissen Bakery for 10 years, eventually working at Nashua Motor Express from 1986 until his retirement in 2006 where he worked for many years with his brother, Alfred R. Rouleau.
He was a lifelong Catholic and spent many years as a parishioner at St. Augustine Parish. In their later years, Gene and Barbara attended Catholic Medical Center Chapel for weekly mass. Gene loved being a driver, whether behind the handlebars of his motorcycle or behind the wheel of a tractor, boat, big rig or his many Ford vehicles. He was a die-hard Red Sox fan and lived out his childhood dream of playing team ball on the NH Granite 50+ baseball team during his retirement. He loved to laugh and shared his love of Jerry Lewis with his family.
He is lovingly survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Barbara Brien of Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center; son, Christopher Brien and his wife Tina of Bedford, NH; son, Michael Brien and his wife Janet of Hillsboro, NH; son, David Brien and his wife, Dana of Deering, NH; daughter, Kathrine Monteiro and her husband, Jamie of Spring, TX; and daughter, Stephanie Baker and her husband, Aaron of Claremont, CA; and his sisters, Claire M. Brien of Fremont, NH and Louise C. Ross of Portland, ME. He also leaves a legacy of 18 grandchildren: Shane, Luke, Cody, Morgan, Meghan, Cooper, Caitlin, Jamison, Jake, Barbara, Gabriella, Marshall, Asher, Madison-Grace, Curtis, Simon, Nissa and Isaac.
He is predeceased by his parents, Simone and Raymond Brien, and Alfred E. Rouleau; his brother, Alfred (Al, Freddie) R. Rouleau and sister, Charlotte H. Brien.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2020 from 4 to 6 pm at J.N. Boufford & Sons Funeral Home, 110 Bridge St.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday July 10, 2020 at 10 am in St. Catherine of Siena Church. Webster St.
Committal prayers will follow in Auburn Village Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Gene’s memory to either Community Hospice House, 210 Naticook Rd, Merrimack, NH 03054 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 (www.michaeljfox.org).
For more information and online guestbook please visit www.bouffordfuneralhome.com.