Armand E. Desrochers

Armand Ernest Desrochers of Sanford, peacefully and graciously stepped into the waiting arms of our Lord on the evening of April 30th, 2023, at home with his beloved wife Pat by his side. His passing brought a merciful end to a long and courageous battle against Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia. He held his place on this earth for eighty- five years and will be profoundly and forever missed by those who love him dearly. He was born in Sanford, on November 16th 1937 to Hildebert and Laura Camire Desrochers. He and his six sisters and brothers were raised in the belief that an undying faith in God, an unending commitment to family, and a good and honest day’s work, were the three pillars upon which stood a life well lived. Armand embraced these principles every day until he drew his final breath. Armand attended Catholic schools and graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1956. He soon met his true love Patricia “ Pat “ Guertin ( affectionately known to him as “ Chopsy “ ). They were married on May 16th, 1959 and within a year celebrated the birth of their first child. They went on to have five children altogether, with each and every one of them being the love of their lives. Pat and Armand could be seen each and every Sunday at Holy Family or St. Ignatius Church with all the kids in tow. After church they would all stop by to visit their families. You know, like families used to do on Sundays back then. Early on, Armand was employed by Miller Shoe in Dover, NH. With his hard- working ethics, he quickly rose to the level of supervisor and by all accounts loved his job and the people he worked with. With seven family members to provide for, he began selling and installing swimming pools on weeknights and weekends. Over time the pool business expanded and eventually Armand said good bye to the shoe shop and Coleco Family Pool Center was born. It seems that he was destined to be a business man, for the business thrived. We’re all convinced that the key to his success was his never- ending focus on the customers. Always providing the highest level of quality and service that he promised. The work was often hard, but being a pool company in Maine has the added benefit of having winters off. Often, Pat and Armand would winter in Florida, not too far from Disney. They lovingly kept the door open to friends and family who were looking to escape the Maine winters for a week or two. The kids, and especially the grandkids, loved every moment. It was obvious that Memere and Pepere treasured those visits, too. In the early Ninety’s, Pat and Armand bought a beautiful summer property on Little Ossipee Lake in Waterboro. They loved staying busy with various projects and taking slow “putt-putt “pontoon boat rides around the lake. But mostly they just loved watching their ever- growing crowd of grandchildren having the time of their lives. The memories of the days spent at Memere and Pepere’s camp will bring smiles to our faces forever. In the last few years, the family got to see a side of Armand that surprised us all. As it turns out, he had a very sharp wit and a great sense of humor. He made the family laugh when they needed it the most, unaware that he was providing priceless therapy for the broken hearts around him. Armand’s final wish was that he left this world in the same house where all their children were raised. That wish has been faithfully granted, as his beloved Chopsy and their children, rallied around to provide ongoing and amazing care for Armand through his entire ordeal. He was also cared for by their loving granddaughter Jessica, who always engaged and involved him in small projects around the house and at the camp. He came to know that even though his health was declining, his family still counted on his help. The family also owes a great debt of gratitude to hospice nurses Nicole and Kristen, who worked tirelessly to provide compassionate care for Armand. At his core, Armand was indeed a humble and kind man, with simple needs. Faith, Family, and an honest day’s work. A life well lived Armand. We will forever be grateful for all he’s taught us, and all he’s done for us through the years. Armand is survived by Pat, his loving wife of almost sixty-four years. Priscilla Cormack and her husband Bob, along with their children Emily, Ariel, and Logan. Joanne Fagan and her husband Patrick, along with their children Amy, Jessica, Zachary, Patrick, and Austin. Elaine Carlson, along with her sons Kyle and Colby. James Desrochers and his wife Tamara, along with their children Ryan, Andrew Bourquin, Jessica, Alethea, and Jacob. And Brian Desrochers, along with his children Sarah, Cameron, and Justin. Pat and Armand also have two wonderful great-grandchildren, Jordan Snow and Emma Desrochers. He is also survived by his sister Irene and brother Bob. He was pre-deceased by his sisters Lucille, Anita, and Jeanne, and his brother Lionel. Visiting hours will be at the Carll, Heald and Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street in Springvale on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church on Monday May 8 at 10:00 am. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Cemetery