George Emile Cyr

http://obituaries.bangordailynews.com/obituaries/bdnmaine/obituary....

George Emile Cyr, 84, passed away Oct. 23, 2012, at a Bangor health care center. He was born Sept. 8, 1928, in Van Buren, the son of Louis V. and Anna (Dufour) Cyr.

George was one of 17 children and was educated in Van Buren schools and attended Husson College. For many years he worked as general salesman for Suburban Propane in Connecticut and Maine, retiring in 1991. George was a communicant of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bangor. He became a member of the Knights of Columbus in 1948 and over the years he held almost every office in the organization. As state deputy, he helped institute the Tootsie Roll program, which helped raise millions of dollars for handicapped and mentally challenged people in Maine. He was also the state master of Fourth Degree Assembly and was appointed supreme master and vice supreme master for New England. George was chairman of the 1992 Columbus Quin-centennial and his council's centennial gala in Bangor that became one of the largest and most successful K of C events of its kind in many years. As a director of Hermon Development Corp., George helped bring Freedom Park to Hermon. As a past chairman of Friends of the Levinson Center, he helped raise enough funding to construct a building for the swimming pool enabling the residents to swim throughout the year. George was a very kind and caring man, always ready to help anyone in their time of need.

He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Helena (Thibodeau) Cyr of Hermon; children, Glenn of Portland, Kevin, Emily Bowdren and her husband, Bill, of Massachusetts and Amy Cyr of Hermon; grandchildren, Shawn, Nicole and Monique Desrosier, Chantelle, Rebecca and Marshall Cyr, Rachelle and Tye Cobb; nine great-grandchildren; brothers, Henry of Pennsylvania, Gerald and his wife, Sylvia, of New Jersey, Adhemar and his wife, Claudette, Noel and his wife, Annette, all of Connecticut, Joel of Florida; sisters, Cora Gagnon, Jeanne Cormier and Germaine Cirello and her husband, Peter, all of Connecticut, Lucille Dionne and her husband, Lionel, of Maine; a sister-in-law, Patricia Cyr of New Jersey; many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his first wife, Rachel Ayotte Cyr, the mother of his children; a daughter, Lisa; stepmother, Alphonsime (Castonguay) Cyr; brothers, Ernest, Ludger, Louis Jr., Pierre, Paul and Rudolph; a sister, Elsie Levesque. His family gratefully thanks the staff of Westgate Manor, CHCS Hospice and Dr. Atkins for their wonderful care and support during George's illness and Hermon Ambulance volunteers who were always there when needed. They also gratefully thank Gail Cote for being such a caring family friend.

Family and friends may visit 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 299 Union St., Bangor. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 29, at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Ohio Street, Bangor. Burial will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bangor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Acadian Village Knights of Columbus Chapel, P.O. Box 165, Van Buren, ME 04785. Condolences to George's family may be offered at www.kileyandfoley.com. Published in BDN Maine on October 24, 2012