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Wilfred Nelson Lagasse

Date of Death: January 7, 2025

Date of Birth: November 12, 1949

Biography:

Wilfred Nelson Lagasse, 75, of Greene, Maine passed peacefully at home on January 7, 2025, with the love of his life, Lucie Dumond-Lagasse, at his side.

He was born of humble roots to parents Nelson and Flora Mae Lagasse in Lille, Maine on November 12, 1949. Eventually, his parents migrated south to Lewiston where he attended Lewiston schools and served in the U.S. Army with the 619th Transport Company.  He owned Willie’s Shell in Lisbon prior to spending many years self-employed as an auto body technician. He later attended commercial driving academy at Oxford Hills before driving for J&S Oil, Auburn Concrete and, finally, Poland Spring Water, retiring in 2015.

Will was the embodiment of grit: confident, unflinching and fearless in the face of adversity and tribulation. He got his start in the automotive industry with a handmade wrecker built on a ‘68’ Power Wagon and he built his family’s home in Greene almost single-handedly. If he didn’t have an expensive or needed tool, he would often fabricate it. A self-sufficiency born of necessity. He possessed an unusual talent for seeing a problem and immediately formulating a fix. If it was broken, he could fix it or make something work until he could. He might smash a finger or burn himself in the process, chuckle amusingly, and enthusiastically return to the task at hand. As friend and neighbor Jim Nesbitt once quipped: “he made the impossible look easy”.

In youth he was notorious for getting into what John Lewis might call “good trouble” in his ‘61’ Bonneville and ‘64’ GTO with boyhood friends Patrick Caron, Emile Carney and Cousin Norman Lagasse whom remained life-long friends.

In later years, he enjoyed frequent hunting excursions to the Solon and Bingham regions with family in his legendary ‘77’ Blazer, and, in the winter months, you might find him fishing the hard water on various Central Maine lakes & ponds. More recently, he cherished biweekly breakfast conversations with “the boys” at Roy’s in Auburn and with friend and neighbor Moe Gregoire. He also looked forward to monthly breakfast gatherings with Poland Spring friends and colleagues and he loved spending time on his 2006 Road King as he and close friend Skip Haines proudly served with fellow Patriot Guard Riders escorting Maine veterans to their final resting places.

Ralph Waldo Emerson opined that “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well” and that “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else Is the greatest accomplishment”.  By these measures, Will lived admirably. We exist in a self-obsessed world, but he never paused at dropping everything to devote his time, energy and resources to bettering the life of family, a colleague, friend or stranger caught in a predicament. He not only expected nothing in return but categorically refused it.  In his company, you felt like nothing could harm you. He never ran from trouble but squared up on it. Like us all, he had faults, but they were eclipsed by his selflessness, chattiness, infectious humor, contagious laugh and authentic love of people and life. He was never uneasy at death and acutely aware that the time would come to part ways. You’d rarely hear him say goodbye but only “see you, when I see you”, and so it shall be. Nevertheless, he left the world better than he found it, and he will be missed immeasurably. It’s hard to imagine Robert Frost wasn’t pondering Will when he observed that “nothing gold can stay”. Godspeed and love you always, Will!

He was predeceased by his parents Nelson and Flora Mae, Brother-in-law Louis Fortin and sister-in-law Doris Cloutier.

He is survived by his wife, Lucie Dumond-Lagasse of Greene, four sons: Bill Lagasse of Lewiston, Scott Lagasse of Lewiston, Joel Dumond of Waterville, and Paul Dumond of Missoula, MT. Two sisters: Anne Marie Dube of Winterport and Diane Spann of Warren. Five grandchildren: Cassandra Lagasse-Church of Lewiston, Jarod Lagasse of Lewiston, Mason Lagasse of Westbrook, Evan Lagasse of Portland and Teliah Montreuil of Lewiston. A great grandson, Easton Scott Montreuil of Lewiston. Brother-in-law, Richard Cloutier of East Waterboro, sister-in-law, Ellen Mato of Tallahassee, FL and, of course, his beloved Yorkshire Terrier pal, Bailey.

An interment and celebration of life will be announced and held later this Spring.

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