Lake Worth, Florida – Oliva Alphonse Ouellette, born April 3, 1916 in Laconia to George and Roseanne (Maheux) Ouellette, died in Lake Worth, Florida, June 20, 2008 at age 92.
Oliva attended grade school and high school in Laconia and later studied for the priesthood at a seminary in Canada. Upon his return, he was employed at Hebert Foundry and Machine, Inc. where he worked for several years.
During WWII, Oliva served in the Merchant Marine where he attained officer status. As a result of his wartime service, he was considered a military veteran. He married his wife, Lucille Bourque in Stewartstown, New Hampshire on July 7, 1948. They resided in the Ouellette family home on Merrimac Street in Laconia, and there they raised their three children: Mark, Paul, and Donna. With the support and encouragement of his wife, Oliva left Hebert Foundry and started his own welding shop, Oliva A. Ouellette & Sons Welding, where he was self employed until his retirement.
Oliva loved to spend time with his family. His children and then later, his grandchildren would entice him outdoors to play games, and his backyard was frequently filled with the clamor of children playing games of horseshoes, badminton, and croquet. The backyard was also where many of the family reunions were held, with his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings and in-laws all in attendance. He also enjoyed playing cards and board games, and shared his love for chess by teaching it to all his children and grandchildren.
Clamming, playing cards and horseshoes, camping, bowling, and golf were activities that filled the days after Oliva retired. When he and wife Lu started motor coaching, he was the sight seer while she drove. He would record every place they traveled, describing the locations, friends, and events along the way. Oliva and Lu eventually settled in to winter in Phoenix, Arizona, where they were greatly assisted by niece Margaret (Boomhower) Collins of Camp Verde, Arizona and nephew Eric Edgerly of Tolleson, Arizona. In 2007, they moved to Lake Worth, Florida to reside with their daughter, Donna.
Oliva is preceded in death by his wife, Lucille (Bourque) Ouellette, son, Paul Ouellette; daughter-in-law, Cindy Morency; and grandson, Paul Ouellette II. In addition, siblings and in-laws who have passed are: Henry Ouellette, Leo and Hester Ouellette, Alice and Haven Marston, Margaret and Bernard Howland, Rachel and Leonard (Bill) Boomhower, Gedeon and Irene Ouellette, Raymond and Joya Ouellette, Nancy Ouellette (Eugene), and Paul Roberts..
He is survived by his sister Zephirine Roberts of Falls Church, Virginia, and his brother, Eugene Ouellette of Canandaigua, N.Y.; daughter, Donna Ouellette of Lake Worth, Florida; son Mark Ouellette of Reno, Nevada; John Ouellette of Torrance, California, and daughter-in law LuAnn (Walsh) Ouellette of Laconia; grandchildren Zena Morency Ouellette and her fiancé Patrick Brooks of Lake Worth, Florida, Tanya Ouellette of Dover, New Hampshire, Lukas Ouellette of Reno, Nevada, John and James Ouellette and Susan Messenger of California; and great grandchildren Leah, James, and Autumn of Lake Worth, Florida; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins.
He was a life long communicant of Sacred Heart Church, and a member of the St. Jean de Baptiste Society, the American Legion Wilkins-Smith Post 1, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Laconia Rod & Gun Club.
All who knew him will miss his guidance, kind and caring heart, and gentle ways. To celebrate his life, visiting hours were on Friday, July 11, 2008 at St. Joseph’s Church, 30 Church Street, Laconia from 9:30-11:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Burial with military honors followed in the family lot at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Garfield Street, Laconia.
For those who wish, the family suggests expressions of sympathy in Oliva’s name may be made to the Sacred Heart Church Fire Repair Fund, 291 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH 03246.