Jeanne D'Arc ROCHEFORT

PORTLAND -- Jeanne D'Arc Marois, 93, of Whitney Avenue, died Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005 at her home with her loving family by her side. Jeanne was born in St. Ansleme, Quebec, Canada, a daughter of Adelard and Henritte LeClark Rochefort. Jeanne was more or less self educated in a one-room school house that was three miles from her family farm in St. Ansleme. She grew up in a family of eight brothers and sisters and was very proud of their French Canadian heritage. She moved to New Hampshire at the age of 18. She later met and married her husband George in 1935 in Berlin, N.H. Jeanne became a naturalized citizen when she was eight months pregnant. Her daughter Theresa was a New Year's baby born in 1941. Jeanne worked for several businesses in Portland during the 1950s including W.T. Grants and F.W. Woolworth's and Hay's Drug Store on Congress Street. She also worked at the Commodore Restaurant at Monument Square. However, her favorite occupation was homemaker, as wife and mother. Jeanne was a very caring loving and giving person who had always a beautiful disposition and a kind word for whomever she met. She often called out to them Hi, Beautiful and got them to smile, making their day. Jeanne spent several years at the Barron Center Day Care where she was known as the La La girl. She would say Thank You over and over again if you spared her a kind word. She was a hard worker all of her life and was a great seamstress. Jeanne made all of her daughter's clothing, in addition to knitting and crocheting for family and friends. Jeanne enjoyed bowling and would bowl every Friday with her friend Betsy at the Big 20 Bowling Lanes in Scarborough. She was a good bowler and got quite a few strikes. She was predeceased by her husband, George in 1995 and all of her siblings, except a sister , Urbanie Mercier of Val Dor Abitibi, Quebec who is 106 years old. Survivors include her daughter, Theresa Williams and her husband Walter, with whom she lived, of Portland; her grandchildren, Jamie Williams and and his wife Bobbie Williams of Naples, Kelly Turner of South Portland; great-grandchildren, Dustin Turner of South Portland, Natalyn Williams of Naples; several nieces, nephews, great- nieces, nephews and cousins. Visiting hours will be held 2-4 p.m., Sunday at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. Prayers will be recited 10:15 a.m., Monday at the funeral home followed by an 11 a.m., Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick's Church, 1342 Congress Street, Portland. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.