Violet Bourque

HYANNIS, Mass. – Violet (LeBlac) Bourque, 95, passed peacefully of natural causes on Jan. 17, 2022. Born in Jay, Violet was the youngest of 10 children. She grew up in the small town of Riley, where, as she had long claimed, she really did have to walk four miles to and from school during brutal Maine winters. At the age of 16, Violet was the first of the 10 LeBlanc siblings to graduate high school, and she was soon employed as a clerk at the International Paper Company. After World War II, she moved with her dear sister Evelyn to the Boston area, where she worked as a server at the iconic Patten’s Restaurant. In 1953, Violet married Norman Basil Bourque of Arlington, Mass., who was serving at the Point Allerton Coast Guard Station. For the remaining years of Norman’s Coast Guard career, they lived in various locations along the eastern seaboard.

In 1965, they bought their first home in Chelmsford, Mass., where they settled to raise their five children. Violet held multiple jobs over the years, including at WT Grants and Houghton Mifflin. In 1977, Violet and Norman moved to Cape Cod, where Violet worked at Poyant Real Estate and, for the last 17 years of her career, Cape Cod Community College before retiring at the age of 72.

Violet enjoyed many interests, including reading, gardening, needle crafts, skiing (until she was 80), fishing, and most importantly, keeping up with her family’s lives and stories.

Violet was predeceased by her husband, Norman; son-in-law, Richard Kornhiser; five of her sisters and three of her brothers.

She is survived by her beloved sister, Alice Doiron; by her children Pamela Lanides and spouse Gregg Lanides, Patricia Weldon and spouse Franklin Weldon, Laurel Kornhiser, Norman Bourque Jr. and spouse Léna Bourque, William Bourque and spouse Stacy Bourque; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A late spring celebration of Violet’s life will be planned in her beloved home state of Maine.

Memorial donations may be made to Broad Reach Health Care.