Joseph Leo Clermont, 82 of Belknap Pt. Rd. Gilford NH, died November 16, 2002 in the Golden View Healthcare Center in Meredith NH after a lengthy illness. He was born in Lowell MA on June 18, 1920 the son of Joseph and Anna (Bellemare) Clermont. Raised in Lowell, he entered the Army in 1941 and served as a Mess Sergeant at Maxwell (AL) Field. On August 5, 1944 he was sent to the Asiatic- Pacific theatre of World War II and was stationed for a time at Iwo Jima.
Following the war, he rejoined his father in the operation of Clermont’s Market on Moody St. in Lowell. Along with the family, they saw the business grow to a total of eight stores. Mr. Clermont continued the Moody St. store and operated the Giant Store in Billerica.
In 1973 he sold his interest in the business and moved to Gilford where he operated Clermont’s Trailer Park. In addition he owned and operated United Fruit Co. of NH in Laconia. He later sold that business to Jordan’s Meat Co. and joined the firm in managing the operation. He later assisted his brother as a buyer for the Beacon Motel in Lincoln NH.
Mr. Clermont was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He loved fishing, boating and traveling in his motor home with his wife.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Helen (Repenhagen) Clermont of Gilford; a daughter Jane Ann Levin and her husband Dr. Morton A. Levin of Meredith NH; three grandchildren, Christopher Joseph Levin, Karen Jean Schild and Michael Levin; six great grandchildren; three brothers, Roland Clermont of Lincoln NH, Roger Clermont of Lowell and Richard Clermont of Portsmouth NH; five sisters, Germaine Jussaume, Doris O’Beirne, Irene St. Jean and Gertrude Clermont, all of Lowell MA and Alice Chateauneuf of Tyngsboro MA; nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be in the Simoneau & Lambert Funeral Home, 139 Church St., Laconia on Monday from 7 to 9 PM. The funeral will be held from the funeral home on Tuesday at 9 AM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Charles Church, 281 NH Route 3 in Meredith at 10 AM. Rev. Gerard Boucher will be the celebrant. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Gilford NH. Timothy C. Molan and David L. Furber are the funeral directors.