Michelle M. Cotnoir, 71, died July 25, 2024 at Elliot Hospital following a lengthy illness with her family by her side. She was born in Putnam, CT., on October 1, 1952, the daughter of Gerard and Leona (Lavigne) Cotnoir. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Assumption College and her master’s degree from SUNY Buffalo.
She taught French at her Alma Mater, Assumption College, and most recently at Hopkinton High/ Middle School. Over the course of her career at Hopkinton, in addition to her teaching, Michelle served at various times as assistant principal, department chair, class advisor, and as a representative of the Hopkinton Education Association. Most importantly, she was admired and loved by her colleagues and her students for her excellent teaching over her forty-year career at Hopkinton.
She held membership in the Franco-American Centre, where she helped reestablish L’Alliance Française, and membership in the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), where she served in various officer positions over the course of many years.
She was predeceased by her mother, Leona Cotnoir, in 2009, and a brother; Gerard Cotnoir, in 2018. Family members include her loving husband, Gary Samson of Concord; one son, Gerard J. Samson and his wife, Taylor Young of Boston; two brothers, Marc Cotnoir and his wife, Laura of Woodstock, CT., Ernest Cotnoir and his wife, Madeline of Putnam, CT.; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A celebration of Michelle’s life will be held on September 22 at the Kimball Jenkins School of Art in Concord, NH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hopkinton High/ Middle School for the French Exchange program that Michelle was instrumental in creating.
J. N. Boufford & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
For more information and an online guestbook please visit www.bouffordfuneralhome.com