LIMERICK- Robert (Bob) Roland LeClair, 69, of Limerick, Maine was called home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, October 16, 2022.
Born to the late Adrian and Jeannette LeClair on September 12, 1953, in Eagle Lake, Bob grew up in Skowhegan where he graduated high school. It was as a teenager that he first met his wife, Diana, whom he married in 1977. Married for 45 years, their relationship has been a faithful Christ-centered example of love, commitment, patience, and friendship to all who have had the blessing of knowing them.
Bob worked for various manufacturers throughout the years and retired from Pratt & Whitney in 2008 with 29 years of service as a layout inspector, having enjoyed mathematics, drafting and design, and engineering. Always wanting to use his gifts and stay productive, he quickly reentered the workforce and retired, once again, from Sig Sauer in 2020.
Bob found deep joy in his love for others. He was a loving, gentle, and selfless husband and father who was quick to sacrifice of himself to serve his family and others. His life was one that was increasingly marked by humility throughout the years; he was faithful to acknowledge his faults, weaknesses, missteps, and sins and was quick to forgive the same in others. He loved others deeply and always carried joyfulness, a kind word, and uplifting laugh into the room with him. It was common knowledge that he could be a “softie” or “pushover” at times and, as such, he was affectionately known by many of his nieces and nephews as “Uncle Marshmallow.”
He and his family would often take hours-long walks through the woods or along the beach, enjoying God’s creation and their time with one another. He enjoyed playing chess, cribbage, pinochle, Risk, and virtually any other game if it meant that he could spend time with his children, grandchildren, relatives, or dear friends. Win or lose, those times were always bathed with unending laughter, rich conversation, and deep encouragement, and resulted in very sweet memories for all. He dedicated countless hours to watching his children and grandchildren compete in sports or dance and always had an encouraging word for them. He enjoyed learning woodcarving, partially because he enjoyed the craft but chiefly because it allowed him hours of encouraging conversation with a dear friend. Holidays, vacations, and weekends away were only made better if they were spent enjoying his very large extended family.
Surrendering and committing his life to Jesus Christ in His early twenties, Bob worshipped and served God alongside his church family at Hollis Center Church for over 45 years. He was faithful to sing praises to the Lord though he acknowledged he couldn’t keep a tune and he was faithful to serve, though he often felt inadequate and ill-equipped to do so. Nonetheless, he sang and served, and did those things with joy, knowing that God is worthy of all his praise and knowing that if any lasting good came from his work, that it would be Jesus, and not himself, who would receive the credit for it. He enjoyed serving the church as a deacon, spending time with children in AWANA, investing in teens as a youth leader, serving those in need in the food pantry, and elsewhere. Despite all of those things, Bob’s hope while passing from this life into life-eternal was not in the work he accomplished, how well he loved others, or even in how he served the church; he found peace and hope solely in God’s grace and mercy which is made available only through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was his desire, beyond all else, that those he loved and served would come to place their faith and hope in Jesus as well.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Diana Marie LeClair; three children, Benjamin LeClair (and his wife, Cynthia) of Enola, Pennsylvania, Christopher LeClair (Liesse Thibeault) of Portland, and Jaime LeClair of Limerick; seven grandchildren: Tyler, Jade, Micah, Whitney, Emily, Grace, and Noah; eight brothers and sisters and their spouses; and several nieces, nephews, and extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents and four siblings.
Family and friends will be received for a memorial service on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Hollis Center Church, 388 Hollis Rd, Hollis, ME 04042, with Pastor Ron Sargent officiating.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Hollis Center Church at the address above or https://hollis.churchcenter.com/giving.