1928 – 2015

LEWISTON — Napoleon “Mimi” Frechette, 87, a lifelong resident of Jay, died Thursday, Oct. 22, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, following a brief illness.

He was born Oct. 3, 1928, in Jay, the son of Leon Frechette and Alpha (Bibeau) Frechette. Napoleon was a 1948 graduate of Jay High School. During his high school years, he participated in baseball, basketball and football and also served as captain of the football and basketball teams. On Nov. 5, 1949, at St. Rose of Lima in Jay, he married the love of his life, his wife of 61 years, Violet Poulin. She passed away Dec. 2, 2010.

Following high school, he went to work for International Paper from 1948 to 1952. From 1952 to 1966, he worked as a hand sewer at Bass Shoe in Wilton, and he owned and operated Chisolm Shoe from 1966 to 1970. He worked at Livermore Falls Shoe as packing room foreman from 1970 to 1971, and from 1971 to 1977, he returned to G.H. Bass. From 1977 to 1987, he worked at International Paper at the Androscoggin Mill as a crane operator and returned to G.H. Bass from 1988 until his retirement in November 1990.

Napoleon was a former third- and fourth-degree Knight of Columbus. He enjoyed fishing, going bird-hunting at Ragged Lake near Kokadjo, where he recently bagged two birds, and always looked forward to deer-hunting season with all of the men in his family — no women allowed — at his hunting camp in Jay. He especially loved time spent with his family and friends.

He is survived by seven children and their spouses, Deborah and Ronald Gregoire of Chesterville, Ann and Rick Barnett of Livermore Falls, Vicki and Steve Bickford of Harpswell, Laurie and Ken Jones of Meredith, N.H., Lisa and Richard Simoneau of Jay, Mark and Tammy Frechette of Chesterville, and Sharon and Randy Chicoine of Turner; 21 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Louise Lennox and her husband, Leo, of Georgia.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Violet; daughter, Mary Jane; three grandchildren; brothers, Raymond, Noel, Roger, John, Gerard and Maurice Frechette; and his sisters, Yvette Sonier and Rita Dupill.

Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfuneralhome.com.