Martin Mathieu Theriault

Martin Mathieu Theriault passed away quietly on Monday in Waterville at the age of 97. Martin was a loving husband and father to four boys and will be remembered by his friends and family for his unwavering determination and work ethic, as well as his resourcefulness and creativity. A native French speaker and one of eleven siblings, Martin was born on September 21, 1916 in Wytopitlock, Maine. As a young child, he moved with his family to Waterville , Maine so his father could find work during the great depression. In 1945, Martin married Yvette Carmen Gilbert , who passed away in 1947, one day after the birth of Martin's son Edmond. In 1950, he married Mary Lucille Beaulieu of Shawmut, Maine and together they had three additional sons, Ronald, David and Donald. His wife Lucille died in 1992 after nearly 43 years of marriage. Martin worked at a number of occupations during his life. During World War II, he worked on a farm to help support his brothers and sisters , and contribute food to the war effort. Shortly after the war, Martin, being more mechanically inclined and not particularly enjoying farming, went to work at the Wyandotte woolen mill in Waterville. Always wanting to improve his situation, Martin stood each morning outside Keyes Fiber factory after working all night at the woolen mill, looking for a chance to be hired. Eventually his determination and persistence paid off and he was offered a job. That was a very good decision on the factory's part, because Martin proved to be a valuable employee for Keyes Fiber for 40 years. His creativity and mechanical ability allowed him to develop solutions for problems that stumped even the factory engineers. He was also the co-holder of a patent for one of his inventions at the mill. Martin's hard work and creativity did not stop at the factory. He built a camp for his family on Sibley Pond in Canaan, and remodeled his house in Waterville, where he lived for over 60 years. Being an avid gardener, Martin kept his family well stocked with vegetables, especially fresh tomatoes, his personal favorite. Martin was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Church in Waterville and a member of the Holy Name Society. He volunteered for the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, serving as Cub master and Scoutmaster. Following retirement, Martin and Lucille spent their winters in Zephyr Hills, Florida where Martin enjoyed golf and square dancing. Always happiest when working on a project, he was energetically tackling physical therapy, when he died suddenly on January 13, 2014. Martin is survived by his four sons, Edmond of Freeport, Ronald of Austin, Texas, David of Waterville and Donald of Cape Elizabeth and by three sisters, Estelle Lachance and Amanda Rossignol of Waterville and Theresa Dutil of Oakland. He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Marie Theriault, five brothers, Francis, Peter, Timothy, George and Joseph and two sisters Agnes Thibodeau and Regina Morneau. He had 7 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Visiting hours will be Friday January 17 at the Gallant Funeral Home 10 Elm St. Waterville from 6-8 p.m. Martin's funeral will be held Saturday January 18 at 9 a.m. at Notre Dame Church Silver Street in Waterville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Strive, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of developmentally challenged young adults Address: Strive 28 Foden Road South Portland, Maine 04106 .