Laconia-----Bernadette Marie Bilodeau, 97, of 406 Court Street and formerly of 7 Church St. (Stafford House), died at the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.
Mrs. Bilodeau was born June 15, 1917 in St. Magloire, Quebec, Canada, the daughter of the late Joseph and Augustine (Carrier) Belanger.
Mrs. Bilodeau had been a resident of Laconia since moving from Canada on Nov. 4, 1941. When she came to the United States, she took in boarders, cleaned homes and also cleaned the Simoneau & Son Funeral Home. She also worked at the Belknap Sulloway Mills and her boss was Laura Nadeau who became a good friend.
Mrs. Bilodeau was a communicant of St. Andre Bessette Parish at Sacred Heart Church where she was a member of the Ladies of Sacred Heart and the Ladies of Sainte Anne’s. She was a caring and generous person and loved her family. She enjoyed talking with people, doing her word search and liked playing cards, bingo and doing crafts with Margaret Normandin at St. Francis. She loved her seafood; shrimps, scallops and lobster rolls. Employees at St. Francis will remember her as “Memere”.
Survivors include her daughter, Gisele M. LaPlante, of Laconia; two grandchildren, David E. LaPlante, of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Denis E. LaPlante and his wife, Denise, of Belmont, N.H.; two great grandchildren, D. Joseph LaPlante of Waldoboro, Maine and Nicole M. Sousa of Laconia, N.H.; two great, great grandchildren, Dakota R. Sousa and Darren E. Sousa, both of Gilford, N.H.; a sister, Zoella Belanger, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Bilodeau was predeceased by her husband of thirty-five years, Joseph E. Bilodeau; an infant son, Gilles Bilodeau; six brothers, Joseph Belanger, Pierre Belanger, Gerard Belanger, George Belanger, Omer Belanger and Odilon Belanger and two sisters, Marie Berger and Yvonne Goulet.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2014 from 2:00-4:00PM and on Monday, July 28, 2014 from 10:00AM-11:00AM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H.
Following the calling hour on Monday, July 28, 2014, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30AM at St. Andre Bessette Parish at Sacred Heart Church, 291 Union Avenue, Laconia, N.H.
Burial will follow in the family lot in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Laconia, N.H.
For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Recreation Fund, 406 Court Street, Laconia, N.H. 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.