Roberta Julianna Letourneau

LOWELL, Mass. – Roberta Julianna (DeRocher) Letourneau, 78, died on May 21, 2020 of cancer at her son’s home in Lowell, Mass. Roberta was born in Waterville on April 1, 1942, to biological parents, Julienne “Judy” (Gandy) Loubier and Roland F. Boyd, and raised by parents, Blanche (Bolduc) and Frank J. DeRocher from shortly after her birth. Roberta lived in the Waterville/Winslow area for most of her life. She attended primary and secondary school at Our Lady of the Mountains Academy in Gorham, N.H., graduating in 1960. Roberta met her late husband, John G. Letourneau, while working at the Waterville Osteopathic Hospital, where they both worked for many years. Married in 1963, they raised their four sons in Winslow, where they were both active members of the high school band boosters club. Roberta completed her professional career working at the Maine State Housing Authority, Office of General Counsel, in Augusta for 14 years, retiring in 2004. Roberta and John were active members of the Central Maine Squares square dance club, where they made many very close and long-lasting friendships, and traveled the country for events and conventions. They also traveled frequently to visit their children and grandchildren in Maine, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Florida. Following John’s death, Roberta lived independently in Winslow, enjoying frequent visits to and from her family, making many quilts (one for each member of the family), spending fun times with her friends, and making many visits to Gifford’s ice cream in Waterville. Roberta was predeceased by her husband, John G. Letourneau of Winslow (2010); her adoptive father and mother of Waterville (1972 and 1973); her brother, Frederick W. DeRocher of Augusta (1985); her biological father of Tewksbury, Mass. (1980) and biological mother of West Hartford, Conn. (1997). Growing up, Roberta always knew she was adopted. She knew and had visits with her biological mother, Judy. It was not until Judy passed that Roberta learned details about her biological father. Roberta then searched for him, discovering that he had gone on to raise a large family in Tewksbury, Mass. and Boothbay Harbor. While she never met him, she had the opportunity to meet three of her six half-siblings in the Boyd family, including her welcoming, oldest half-brother, Jim, and his wife Judie and their family from Nashua, N.H. Cared for by one of her sons for the last 18 months, Roberta spent the last part of her life near where her biological father lived much of his life, and where he is buried. Roberta is survived by her four sons and their families, Marc C. and his wife Elaine (Helie) of Saco, grandson Christian, and granddaughter Lyra; Eric P. and his wife Cheryl (Perkins) of Clinton, grandson Eric Jr. and great-granddaughter Rhiannon, and grandson Dalton; Robert J. and his husband Russell E. Burns of Lowell, Mass.; and Stephen A. and his wife Erin (Bates), of Cos Cobb, Conn./Scarborough, and granddaughters, Eliza, Anna, and Isabelle. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews; cousins; and five half-siblings. The Letourneau family offers its gratitude to the hospice care team from Lahey Health at Home, who provided in-home care for the last five months of Roberta’s life, particularly Stacie Lage, Tammy Gray, and Nanci Robinson. Please visit the following link to view/share Roberta’s online memorial: https://bostoncremation.org/obituary/roberta-julianna-letourneau. A celebration of life and internment at St. Francis Cemetery in Waterville will occur at a later date. For those inclined to honor Roberta’s memory, donations can be made in her name to The Community Family Adult Day Health Center (ADH) in Lowell 106 Wyllis Avenue Everett, MA 02149 978-458-4844 where she enjoyed friendship and support during some of the last months of her life.

Roberta Julianna Letourneau


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