Avis de décès de Antonio-J. Fortier - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

->WINSLOW -- Antonio J. Fortier, 89, passed away on June 22, 2009, at his residence in Winslow, surrounded by his loving family, after a long and spirited fight against ALS.Tony was born in St. Victor, Canada, son of Hilaire and Marie Ange Fortier. He moved to Winslow as a child with his family and they lived on Halifax Street for many years. He graduated from Winslow High School in 1938.He often liked to recount the story of how he woke up on his birthday to the news that Pearl Harbor had been bombed. He proudly served four years in the Army during World War II with a rank of staff sergeant. His responsibilities included servicing and repairing the radars that protected our homeland. It was from this that he developed his love for electronics. He was awarded several medals during his years of service. After an honorable discharge, he continued his education in the field of radio and electronics, earning a diploma from Cogne Electrical School.He married the love of his life, Therese Belanger, on Sept. 6, 1948, and was blessed with 60 years of marital happiness. He opened Fortier's TV on College Avenue in Waterville in 1950 in a store he built himself, and continued to expand his business after returning from a brief stay in California. His wife joined him at the Waterville store in the 1980s, and they started Terry's Thrift Shop, the first consignment shop in the area. They ran the thrift shop successfully until retirement.In 1963, he built the house where they lived and raised their three children.He was very proud of the wooden boat he built by hand, and it drew admiring comments by everyone who saw it. His favorite lake was Great Pond and he would often close his store on Wednesday afternoon so he could spend time with his family enjoying the lake. After retirement, he was always seen walking around Winslow and Waterville, as daily walks were one of his favorite things. He enjoyed marching in the Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades in his original military dress uniform, which he was proud that he could still fit into. He was an avid reader and enjoyed solving puzzles of all kinds. He loved meeting people and making them laugh. His wife lovingly called him "Funny McGee."The family would like to express their gratitude to caregivers, Linda Mitchell, Brenda Walker and Karen Chase, and to Health Reach Hospice nurses and staff, Veterans Affairs at Togus hospital staff and to Paralyzed Veterans Association representative, John Stansbury, and Nell Davies, with the ALS Maine Chapter. A special thanks to neighbors Marc and Sarah Sirois and to Dennis and Shelia Brockway for all their help and kindness.He is survived by his wife, Therese, and their three children, Roger and his wife Lisa, of Madison, Conn., Elaine Stinneford and her husband Roy, of Winslow, and Steve and his fiancée Brenda Walker, also of Winslow; three grandchildren, Ericka Bernier of Hampden, Jean-Luc Fortier of Westminster, Calif., and Danielle Fortier of Madison, Conn.; his sister, Rollande Latulippe of Winslow; and a brother, Norman, of Center Barnstead, N.H.; several nieces and nephews and several great-nieces and great-nephews.Those who desire may give gifts in his memory to the ALS Society at ALS Association of Northern New England Chapter (ALSANNE), The Concord Center, 10 Ferry Street, Suite 438, P.O. Box 314, Concord, NH 03301.Visiting hours will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm St., Waterville. A service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 26, at St. John the Baptist Church, 47 Monument St., Winslow. Burial will follow at St. Francis Cemetery on Grove Street in Waterville.