George M. Cormier, 76, of New Bedford died Saturday July 5, 2008 peacefully at home. He was the husband of Florida T. (Dupont) Cormier.
Born in Acushnet, the son of the late Odilon and Alfreda (Bourgeois) Cormier, he lived in New Bedford for most of his life.
He was a communicant of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.
Mr. Cormier was formerly employed as a correction officer at M.C.I. Bridgewater for 29 years until his retirement.
Mr. Cormier served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict in small ordinance repair, then remained in the Army reserve attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class and acting Battallion Sergeant Major. He later served in the Coast Guard Reserve attaining the rank of CWO 4. He had combined military service of 37 years.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 1, the Fort Phoenix Post 2892 Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Military Officers Association of America, the A.A.R.P., the Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Senior Club, and the St. Anthony's Senior Club. He was an associate member of the St. Vincent dePaul Society. In his younger days, he was the drum major for the Assumption and Jolly Whalers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Susan Coutinho and her husband Michael of Acushnet; two grandchildren, Nicholas and Elizabeth Coutinho; three sisters, Jeanne Cardoza of New Bedford, Sr. Theresa Cormier of Moncton, New Brunswick, and Pauline Hudon of Rochester; his pet toy poodle, Angel which he loved dearly; and several nieces and nephews.
He was the father of the late Gregory M. Cormier and brother of the late Noella Lapre, Georgette Lachapelle, Phillip, Leo, Ernest, Robert, Raymond, Noe and Paul Cormier.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 AM at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Burial with military honors will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford, MA 02740. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Southcoast Hospice Camp Angel Wings, 200 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.