Robert P. Cote

Robert P. Cote, M.D., 65, of Sanford, died May 29 at home after a brief illness.He was born in Manchester, NH on February 28, 1941, a son of Philippe J. and Cecile Rolande (Tessier) Cote, M.D.He attended Manchester schools and Assumption Prep in Worcester, Mass. He was a 1962 graduate of Assumption College and a 1967 graduate of Boston University Medical School. He served his internship and residency at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston from 1967 to 1971.He was a veteran of the US Navy during the Viet Nam era serving as Chief of Medicine at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital from 1971 to 1973.Moving to Sanford in 1973, he and Dr. Ronald McCall became the first internal medicine specialists to join the staff of the H. D. Goodall Hospital, and has been in private practice ever since. He served as the president of the medical staff from 1977 to 1979, from 1989 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1995. At the time of his death, he was Chief of Medicine. He served on or was chair of multiple committees including Utilization Review, Medical Staff Executive Committee, Medical Staff Credentialing Committee, Medical Staff Quality Improvement Committee and Hospital Performance Improvement Council. He was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2003 and served on its Patient Care Committee. He was also the Medical Director for Hillcrest Manor/Newton Center for 25 years.He was a communicant of Notre Dame Church in Springvale where he served for many years as a eucharistic minister. He and his wife had been involved in SEARCH retreats for the Catholic Youth Ministry of Southern Maine.He was a former town meeting member, a member of the York County Medical Society and the Maine Medical Society.His personal interests included fishing, cooking, American History and especially travelling.Survivors include his wife of almost 42 years, Fleurette (Provencher) Cote of Sanford, 3 sons, Marc R. Cote, his wife Carla S. and their sons Benjamin S. Cote and Jacob M. Cote of Biddeford, Paul P. Cote, his wife Deborah S. and their sons Nicholas P.S. Cote and Michael J.S. Cote of Auburn, Charles J. Cote, his wife Robyn L. and their daughter Annabelle Grace Cote of Sydney, Australia, and 2 brothers, Richard J. Cote of Sandwich, MA and Roland A. Cote of Bloomington, IN.Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at the Lafrance-Lambert & Black Funeral Home, 29 Winter Street, Sanford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 11 AM at Notre Dame Church in Springvale. Burial will be on Monday in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, NH.Those who wish to make memorial contributions are asked to consider the Robert P. Cote, MD Memorial Fund for At Risk Elderly, c/o Administration - Goodall Hospital, 25 June Street, Sanford, ME 04073.To send the family a message of condolence, please click the Condolences tab at left.