Gilford-----Philippe V. Vachon, 71, of 9 Sargent Place died at the Lakes Region General Hospital, Laconia on Saturday, March 6, 2010 following a short illness.
Mr. Vachon was born May 23, 1938 in Manchester, N.H., the son of Lawrence and Elizabeth (Lussier) Vachon.
Mr. Vachon was a member of the 172nd Field Artillery of the New Hampshire National Guard with the HQ & HQ Division with the rank E-6 from 1957-1967.
Mr. Vachon worked for fifty-six years in the shoe industry in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, finally retiring as a superintendent at the New Balance Athletic Shoe, in Lawrence, Mass. He had been a resident of Gilford for the past two years coming from Manchester.
Mr. Vachon was a communicant and usher for many years at the St. Francis Parish in Litchfield, N.H. and was a member of the Legion of a 1,000 Men of the Precious Blood Monastery in Manchester, N.H.
Mr. Vachon is survived by his wife of fifty years, Murielle (Belanger) Vachon, of Gilford; a son, Michael Vachon, of Westbrook, Maine; two daughters, Marie Kace and her husband, Stephen, of Gilford and Michele Diaz and her husband, Jimmy, of Laconia; three grandchildren, Ben Kace, Jackson Diaz and Owen McGowan-Vachon ; a brother, Normand Vachon, and his wife, Terry, of Manchester; six sisters, Yvette Beland and her husband, Gerry, of Manchester, Dolores Lynch and her husband, Bob, of Merrimack, Ms. Pauline Vachon and her husband, Mike Beebe, of Lyndeboro, NH, Lorraine Daly and her husband, Bob, of Manchester, Diane Soucy and her husband, Paul, of Manchester, Denise McMahon and her husband, Ray, of Goffstown; a brother-in-law, Marcel Belanger, and his wife, Joan, of Keene and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, March 11, 2010 from 4:00-7:00PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church, 30 Church Street, Laconia, NH on Friday, March 12, 2010 at 10:00AM.
Burial will follow in the family lot in Bayside Cemetery, Laconia, NH.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Legion of 1,000 Men, Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, 700 Bridge Street, Manchester, N. H. 03104-5495 or the New Hampshire Humane Society, PO Box 572, Laconia, N. H. 03247.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is in charge of the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.