Lorraine A. Tourigny

Lorraine Tourigny, 93, of Sanford, passed away peacefully after a brief illness at the Gosnell Hospice House in Scarborough on Thursday August 27. She was born in Springvale on October 18, 1926, the daughter of parents Joseph Mathieu and Eveline (Adeline) Vachon Mathieu. She grew up in a large family (10 siblings) on Riverbank Court in Springvale graduating from Norte Dame School. Lorraine learned many skills from her father (carpenter) and enjoyed fixing things herself and said once she thought she would have enjoyed being a carpenter.In her youth Lorraine learned to play the piano and had a senior recital. Learning from her mother she became a good seamstress and would sew a lot of clothes for herself and family. She enjoyed working as a "spinner" in the Goodall Mill and also worked at Jagger Mills and the Aletta Dress Shop.Lorraine married Gilles Renault Tourigny on October 22 1946. Their romantic affair began before Gilles went off to Europe for the D-Day invasion and they were married upon his return. They celebrated 49 years of marriage until his passing in 1995.Together they began raising a family of six children making homes on Lafayette street and later High Street. They also had a lot on Silver Lake next to Lorraine's sisters Therese and Gert where they enjoyed family time during summers.In her later years she made her home at The Maples living independently in her own apartment until her final days. She greatly enjoyed her time there and many friends.She was a life-long parishioner of Holy Family Church.Lorraine's chosen life was to be the most caring, gentle, warm, loving Mother to all six of her children and later four grandsons. Family and friends alike grew accustomed to always seeing a smile on her face. As a young girl she enjoyed swimming and later enjoyed spending time taking her children often to Moody Beach, to her sister Pauline's Mousam Lake Pond cottage and her favorite Kennebunk Pond.Once children were grown Lorraine became an avid fan of the Patriots but especially the Red Sox. A lifelong devout fan she rarely missed a game and it was most often the 1st topic of conversation with like-minded children.Lorraine noted as her most proud achievements were her six children, living independently to 93 and needing few medications. Things that made her most happy were sunshine, family visits, phone calls from family and visits from her cherished friend Barbara.She was pre-deceased by her parents, husband Gilles and daughter Sylvia Tourigny. Also sister Pauline (Mrs. Andrew Boudreau) brothers Roland and Raymond (twins), Maurice, Valmont, Omer, Ronald and Andre (Mathieu)Lorraine is survived by her children, son Richard and his spouse Peter Clain of Stockton Springs and Merida Mexico; son Paul of Wells; daughter Louise and her husband Randall Reed of Brunswick; son Jerry and his wife Katya Zenko and grandsons Andrei and Daniel Tourigny of Scarborough; and daughter Marilyn and her husband Brian Long of Waxhaw, NC and grandsons Jimmy Long of Charleston, SC and Jake Long of Waxhaw, NC.She is also survived by sister Gertrude (Mrs. Paul Allaire) of Sanford; and sister Therese (Mrs. Roger Emard) of Springvale and many nieces and nephews. There will be a funeral mass on Tuesday September 1st at 11AM Saint Therese of Lisieux Parish -Holy Family Church in Sanford. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.