Obituary of Roland Emile LeBlanc

Roland Emile LeBlanc, 94, of Rouses Point, NY passed away on March 5, 2014 at Helen Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT with his family by his side. Roland was born in Shelburne, NH on January 18, 1920, the fourth of sixteen children. He was predeceased by his parents, Lucien and Marie Rose (Belanger) LeBlanc, two older brothers and a sister who died in infancy, brothers Lawrence, Jean Louis, Jean Paul, Roger, and George (Bib), and sisters Rejane Traynor and Margaret Scaringe. He is survived by his siblings Francis (Pete) and wife Theresa of Rouses Point, Robert and wife Josette of Rouses Point, Marcelle and husband Irwin Johnson of Prescott, AZ, Paul and wife Joyce of Yuma, AZ, and Rudolph (Rudy) and wife Lena of Portland, ME, and two sister-in-laws, Mrs. Florence LeBlanc of Westbrook, ME and Mrs. Gemma LeBlanc of Montreal, Canada. He is also survived by his son Ron LeBlanc and Charlene Bombard of Rouses Point, NY, daughter Ronay LeBlanc and her husband, Dave Schindler, of Rochester, NY, daughter Rise' Wilson and her husband, Adam Wilson, of Charlottesville, VA, his daughter-in-law Donna LeBlanc of South Burlington, VT, plus five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a great grandson on the way. He attended grade school in Gorham, NH, and the family then moved to Montreal, where Roland attended D'Arcy Magee High School, riding the trolley one hour each way to school. After graduating from high school he went to work for the Canadian National (CN) Railroad in Montreal, like his father. In 1941 the family moved to Rouses Point, NY and he continued working for the CN Railroad until joining the United States Army in 1942. He served honorably in WWII, starting with basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina followed by deployment to Fort Read on Trinidad in the Caribbean, where he served in the Quarter Master Corps, ran the NCO Club, and achieved the rank of Master Sergeant. Roland then finished active duty at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Little Rock, AR and returned to civilian life in Rouses Point in late 1945. He worked for the CN Railroad until 1967 and then joined the FW Myers brokerage firm in Champlain, NY, retiring in 1985. Roland married Rita Bulriss on September 6, 1947 and they had three children - a son, Ron, and two daughters, Ronay and Rise'. The family originally lived on Pratt Street, but then moved to their long-time residence on Lake Street where they lived until moving to Priscilla Lane in 1998. The home served as the staging area for many floats built by the St. Patrick's choir for the Fourth of July parades, and the ongoing entertaining of the choir, friends, and family. After retirement Roland and Rita spent winters in Jensen Beach, FL, enjoying visits from family, friends and fellow snowbirds from the North Country. They enjoyed traveling, especially bus tours, often to mystery locations, with their friends. Two memorable family trips were a cruise to Alaska and bus trip to Washington, DC. Roland was dedicated to his family and his community. There were family trips to California, including one by rail, and Maine. He was an avid bowler, along with his brothers Pete and Robert, and enjoyed watching Hockey Night in Canada. He served in the US Army Reserves with the 962nd Ordinance Company in Plattsburgh, NY retiring in 1974 with the rank of First Sergeant. During this time he served on active duty for one year - 1961 - at Fort Devens, MA during the Berlin Crisis. He was a parishioner and usher at St. Patrick's Church in Rouses Point, and a member of the Knights of Columbus, VFW, and American Legion Post 912, where he served several terms as commander. He enjoyed having a daily six-ounce beer at the Legion with his friends, breakfast at Anctil's Restaurant after church, and taking care of his lawn at Priscilla Lane. He resided at Helen Porter Rehabilitation Center in Middlebury, VT for the last six years of his life, where he received wonderful care and enjoyed the friendship of his roommate Bill Brush and his family. Visits from family and friends from the North Country always brightened his day, and he kept up with the news via weekly letters from Joe Bailey. Calling hours will be held at M. B. Clark Funeral Home, 148 Lake Street, Rouses Point, NY on Friday, March 7, 2014 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Patrick's Church in Rouses Point, NY on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 11:00 am, with Rev. Clyde A. Lewis, pastor, celebrating the mass. A luncheon will follow the mass at the American Legion Post 912, 29 Pratt Street, Rouses Point, NY. Interment will be at a later date in the parish cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Roland's memory to the Helen Porter Rehabilitation Activities Fund, Helen Porter Healthcare & Rehabilitation, 30 Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT, 05753. To light a candle by sharing a thought, memory, or condolence, please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com.