1934-2018
North Grosvenordale, CT-Dolores Deslauriers, 83, formerly of North Grosvenordale, passed away peacefully on March 18, 2018 at the Matulaitis Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center with her family at her side. She was born in North Grosvenordale on October 4, 1934 to the late George and Angelina (Lariviere) Houle.
Dolores was a religious woman who was a former member of the Daughters of Isabella and a communicant of St. Joseph Catholic Church in North Grosvenordale. She loved looking at family photographs and telling stories of her adventures with the love of her life, her late husband Richard. Dolores and Richard were married at St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in Hartford, CT on October 4, 1952. She enjoyed cooking, canning, reading, bingo, word searches and coloring on her tablet and especially the visits from her special granddaughter and great granddaughter. Dolores was a home maker, who later in life worked in the textile and retail industries, finally retiring as a Certified Nursing Aide / Personal Attendant.
She is survived by her brother Raymond L’Heureux and wife Susan of Tucson, AZ; her ten children, Richard and wife Elizabeth of Delray, FL, John and wife Sharilyn of Sterling, CT, Roger and wife Debbie of Stafford Springs, CT, Michael of Nahunta GA, Daniel and wife Elaine of St. Mary’s, GA, Babette and husband Jack of Willows, CA, Roland of Willimantic, CT, Arthur and wife Laurie of Thompson, CT, Jacqueline of Danielson CT, & Jo-Anna of Catatwissa PA, 21 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers Paul & Eugene.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Church, 18 Main St., North Grosvenordale at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, 2018 followed by a gathering of family and friends at St Joseph’s Church hall. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, (in memory of Dolores Deslauriers). For memorial guestbook visit www.GilmanAndValade.com.
Guy Regis
March 19, 2018 at 1:42 pmMrs. Deslauriers loved to talk French, I was texting her in French once and she kept correcting my French spelling 🙂
She was a Sweetheart…
Lori Krajniak
March 19, 2018 at 2:27 pmArthur and Laurie, Our condolences to you and your family. Your Mom and Dad are together in the presence of God. May you and yours be well in the knowledge of their peace .
Lori and Paula
Brian Soule
March 19, 2018 at 2:28 pmMy thoughts and prayers to the family for your loss. I have so many fond memories hanging with Arthur at the house. Stay strong.
Steven st.Cyr
March 19, 2018 at 5:36 pmMy deepest sympathy to the DESLAURIERS family.
Henry Frederick of Sanford, FL
March 19, 2018 at 6:32 pmTo the Deslauriers family, Please accept my condolences on the loss Dolores Deslauriers, the matriarch of the Deslauriers Clan. No matter how far our individual journeys have taken us in this 21st-century digital world, our collective childhoods started in the “Quiet Corner” as Northeastern Connecticut is known; with its mostly-shuttered mills, scenic tributaries and Yankee accents. Putnam is the county seat and epicenter with Thompson, Woodstock, Eastford, and Killingly nearby; and Southridge and Webster just over the Massachusetts line, as well as Rhode Island town of Chepachet. I am painstakingly bringing the geography into focus because we are all connected by our origins. Everyone is aware of villages that make up these small towns. Thompson’s, centrally-located village, North Grosvenordale, is where Dolores and her late husband, Richard, raised their 10 children. And whether the family name was Frederick, Soule, Houle, Chaput, Alexander, LaJoie, DeJesus, Challinor, Picard Verdone, Therrien or Fatsi, they and countless others helped comprise a much larger family unit. And while social media may bring us together to banter over Boston Red Sox-NY Yankees or NE Patriots-NY Giants; often we don’t think about the bonds such as described by Brian Soule (earlier condolence) until milestones like this, where he reflects on “fond memories hanging with Arthur at the house.” We are so busy in everyday life that what were the building blocks get pushed back into the deeper recesses of our memory banks. Then, just like that, our hearts collectively ache with a flood of memories when we suddenly learn that an elder such as Mrs. Deslauriers, has died. For the next generation, the death of a parent is a wound to the larger collective. For the three DesLauriers children, I grew up with (Babs, couple years older; Roland, my age; and Arthur (a couple years younger, childhood memories flood the senses (think Thompson Dam). The vernacular — water bubbler, parlor, grinder, frappe and wicked — was learned in the single hallways of Thompson Elem. and Middle schools and the stairwells of Tourtellotte Memorial H.S. The next generation of kids walked to and from school together and often were greeted by the parents with cold drinks, cookies, and rock candy; this after wearing off their collective hyperactiveness riding bicycles, playing tackle football behind the library or hanging out at someone’s house with a roof antenna to watch cool TV stations like the former WSMW Ch. 27 in Worcester or Boston’s WSBK Ch. 38. I remember Mrs. Deslauriers as a kind-hearted, Christian woman who cared about many of us who interacted with her offspring back in the day. Nothing said here is going to take away the grief of the DesLauriers Family, but I am reminded of a verse from Romans 14:08, which may bring some comfort: “If We live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord; So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
Kim & Mike ELko
March 20, 2018 at 4:59 amSo sorry for your loss. Your Mom & Dad will rest in peace together in Heaven. Thoughts & prayers.
Dennis Morgan
March 20, 2018 at 6:58 amCondolences to Art and Laurie, and siblings and their spouses, extended family, relatives, and friends of Mrs. Deslauriers. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her. May she rest in peace.
Greg &Christine Harpin
March 21, 2018 at 11:46 amSo sorry for your loss
Denise Harkins
March 21, 2018 at 8:41 pmArthur and Jackie,
I’m so sorry for your loss. I saw you guys so often at Matulaitis, your Mom was blessed to have you. I’m sure she knew that.
Dave Babbitt
March 22, 2018 at 8:39 amMan, Henry’s tribute brought back many memories….To all of you who remember all those good folks mentioned and especially to the Deslauriers may we all urge a special “deepest sympathies” and may Mrs. Deslauriers enjoy Eternal Rest…..
Judith Ribicoff
March 22, 2018 at 1:47 pmI have so many wonderful memories of Dolores and the time spent with the Deslauriers family, it’s difficult to believe that they are both together in heaven now. I want to send my deepest sympathy and love to…….Joanna, Jackie, Arthur, Roland, Danny, Babette, John, Roger, Mike and Richard, who I never got to meet. AND all of your spouses and children and grand children and one great grand child. I am holding a prayer and many good vibes for all of you during this difficult time.
Much Love,
Jude
Enrica White aka Nurse White
March 23, 2018 at 1:19 pmMy condolences to Arthur and Laurie of their recent loss. Prayers for the entire family. Your Mother is up in heaven with your Father and at peace.
James Ian Murdoch
March 24, 2018 at 10:10 amMy sincere condolences and deepest sympathy at this sad time.
Your beautiful family is a lasting testimony to your dear Mom’s love.
T. Kelly
March 26, 2018 at 11:05 amPlease accept my heartfelt sympathies. My heart goes out to the family. Death is something we will never get use to. In fact, God’s Word refers to death as an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Very soon our loving Heavenly Father, Jehovah God, will remove death once and for all and give us the opportunity to see our loved ones again here on the earth.