Wallace A. BILODEAU

SKOWHEGAN -- Wallace "Wally" A. Bilodeau, 83, of Skowhegan passed away Tuesday, March 29, 2005, at Redington-Fairview General Hospital, surrounded by his family.He was born in Fairfield on Oct. 28, 1921, the son of Wallace and Rose Anna (Lemlin) Bilodeau. He attended Notre Dame de Lourdes parochial school and graduated from Skowhegan Area High School and Bloomfield Academy with the class of 1938.He was married to the former Priscilla Elinor Dionne on Aug. 18, 1952, by Father Lucien H. Chabot. They were the first couple to be married in the newly constructed Notre Dame de Lourdes Church which was dedicated on Aug. 17, 1952.Wallace served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Florence Nightingale from November 1942 to February 1944, where he participated in the invasion of North Africa at Port Lyautey and in the invasion of Sicily at Gela. Other transport duties included bringing German prisoners of war from Scotland to Boston, replacement of English officers and personnel from England and North Ireland to Rejikavik, Iceland, and maintenance at Hoboken, N.J.He was honorably discharged as Signalman First Class at Brainbridge, Md., in February 1946. He transferred to the U.S. Naval Officer Training Corps at Villanova University in 1944. He then transferred to the U.S. Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at the Wharton School of Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania where he was awarded a bachelor's degree in economics in 1947. In June of 1949, he was awarded a JD degree from Boston College.Wallace was admitted to the Maine State Bar in September 1949. He joined the law firm of Butler & Butler with Ernest C. Butler and was later associated with Edward N. Merrill II and William Thomas Hyde until 1981. He retired in 1996.He was a former member of the Maine State Bar and Somerset County Associations. He was very involved in the Skowhegan community including service as member and chairman of Skowhegan Board of Selectman, town assessor, Planning and Community Development and Traffic Commission, a former member and president of the Skowhegan Rotary Club, chairman of the Skowhegan Chapter of the American Red Cross, Skowhegan and Somerset County Republican Clubs, president and secretary of the Skowhegan Chamber of Commerce, and member of the former Junior Chamber of Commerce. He served on the board of trustees for Redington-Fairview General Hospital for 25 years. Wally participated in the annual March of Dimes walk well into his 70s. He enjoyed his acting career as a member of the Cornville Players.He was a lifelong member of Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, where he served as Altar Boy, Parish Council President, a member of the Finance and Administration and Cemetery Commissions, and was a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine instructor. Wally was a member of the Knights of Columbus from the age of 17. He served as the Grand Knight of the Somerset Council and as Maine State Deputy from 1959 to 1961. He was also a member of the Somerset County Fourth Degree Assembly. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 16 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3198.Wallace was the devoted father of five children, John Bilodeau and wife, Juline, and Ann Gamage, all of Skowhegan, Mary Callan and husband, Richard, of North Anson, and Paul Bilodeau of Palm Bay, Fla., Peter Bilodeau and companion, Doug Brotzman, of Corbett, Ore. He was the loving grandfather "Pappy" of Ambre and Brett Bilodeau, Adria Callan, Olivia and Maria Gamage; great-grandfather of Kimberley Landry and Mark Oliveira. He is also survived by his sisters, Dorothy Whittemore, Juliette Faron and half-sister Dorothy Moran; several nieces and nephews.He was predeceased by twin sisters, Joan and Marie; and a grandson, Nicholas Barrett Gamage.A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 1, at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, Skowhegan with the Rev. Georges Plante officiating.Donations may be made in Wally's memory to Notre Dame Capital Improvement Fund, P.O. Box 369, Skowhegan, ME 04976 or to Skowhegan War Veterans' Memorial, Skowhegan Town Office, 225 Water St., Skowhegan, ME 04976 or to Redington-Fairview Hospital Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 468, Skowhegan, ME 04976.Arrangements are under the direction of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan.