Rene Leo Guillemette

Rene L. Guillemette, 79, son of the late Gerard Guillemette and Alice “Allaire” Guillemette, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 25, 2023 with his children by his side. He was born in Sanford on December 1, 1943. Rene was married to Margaret “Peggy Jean” Piper Guillemette for 50 years, before her passing in May, 2018. Together they shared several cross-country car road trips driving across the United States as well as years of traveling with their 5th wheel camper to South Carolina to visit their daughter’s family who helped celebrate life with him at their home and extended time at his favorite vacation oceanside spot at Hunting Island State Park. He felt honored and fortunate to share quality time with all his grandchildren during camper weekends to amusement parks in the White Mountains. He enjoyed hosting family time at Lovell Lake camp, sharing working projects, family swims, boating, campfires, boat rides and sharing hours of listening to the grandkids read aloud for an hour before returning to swimming. A man of deep faith, when he wasn’t able to make it to Mass, he would watch Mass on Sunday morning at 7:00 AM. Dick Langlois or Kevin Neely would stop in to present Communion and talk with him weekly. He was a proud (retired) member of the U.S. Army and National Guard, former on-call fire fighter (Sanford), member of the Knights of Columbus and retired from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. A loving father, husband, uncle, brother, grandfather (Pepere) and friend. He will be missed by many. Rene was predeceased by his parents and by his wife, Margaret “PJ” Piper Guillemette. Surviving are his sisters, Claire Sessions, Doris Tyger and Susan Murphy and her husband John; his son, Michael Guillemette and Michael’s three sons Nathaniel, Nicholas and Matthew, his son Scott Guillemette and Scott’s son Joshua and his daughter, Renee Lee Crochet and her children Gaven and Kailey as well as several nieces, nephews and aunts. Visitation will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 2nd at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, located at 580 Main Street in Springvale. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Monday, April 3rd at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church located on North Avenue in Sanford. A graveside service will be held later in the Spring. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider sending memorial contributions to the Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinson.org, Maine Veteran’s Administration at www.va.gov, the Maine Hospice Council at www.mainehospicecouncil.org or the American Migraine Foundation at www.americanmigrainefoundation.org. To make a donation please click on the links below. Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale.