1922-2003

RUMFORD – Ronald S. Sirois, 80, died Friday, April 4, 2003 at the Rumford Hospital.

A lifelong resident of the area, he made his home on Hillside Avenue in Rumford.

He was born in Weld, on April 12, 1922, a son of Joseph and Virginia (Paradis) Sirois.

He graduated from Stephens High School in Rumford in the class of 1940, and attended Farmington State Teachers College for three years before joining the Army. He served with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy during World War II.

Ronald was employed in the employment office of Boise Cascade Paper Co., in Rumford for many years until retirement in 1981, and also was a substitute rural mail carrier for a time.

He was a communicant of St. Athanasius – St. John Church, a member of the Robert Shand Post No. 1641, VFW, a member of the Napoleon Ouellette Post No. 24, American Legion, a member of the Rumford Historical Society and a member of the Boise Cascade Paper Co. 25-year club.

He strived to learn something new each day. He took classes in Spanish, Italian and French, oil painting and small engine repair. He read much about history, especially the Civil War period. He enjoyed music and taught himself to play the harmonica, recorder, accordion and mountain dulcimer. He was very involved in gardening, both fruit and vegetable. He liked to ski and fish at Four Ponds with his friends. He memorized many epic poems and would recite them on his daily power-walks in the woods behind his house. He loved holidays and family gatherings, all recorded on 8mm and video tape. He took great joy in his imaginative ways to reuse and recycle, and he loved a good bargain.

His playful sense of humor was unbounded.

He was married in Rumford, on Nov. 10, 1947, to the late Irma M. Perry, who died in Rumford on Dec. 15, 2001.

Survivors include two sons, Michael Sirois and Donald Hamm of Boston, Mass., and Joseph Sirois and wife, Tina, of Rumford; two daughters, Gayle Sirois and Marcia Theriault and husband, David, of Rumford; five grandchildren Josh and Elizabeth Penny, Zachary Theriault, Kayla and Jessie Sirois; a sister, Constance Palleschi and husband, Dominic, of Rumford; several nieces and nephews; and a special family friend, Brenda Vlahakis of Rumford.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Ted and Paul.