WINSLOW – Yvette Cecile (LaChance) Poulin, 82, died in the care of Hospice early Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Oak Grove Center in Waterville.

Yvette was born May 3, 1941, and grew up in Winslow attending St. John’s Parochial School. Later in life, she was a Charter Member of the St. John’s PTFA, as Secretary and organized and co-chaired the first ever St. John’s Christmas Fair. She was active in fundraising for the school at spaghetti and bean suppers during her children’s school years.

She graduated from Winslow High School with National Honors in 1959 and was Class Officer. She later took evening classes at Thomas College and KV Technical Institute. In her early teen years, she worked at her parent’s grocery store where the first Winslow Post Office was established, and she was sworn in as Assistant Post Mistress. Following graduation, she was employed in the administrative offices of Keyes Fiber Company for nearly 24 years in various secretarial and analytical positions.

On Sept. 2, 1963, Yvette married her neighbor and high school sweetheart Leonard Douglas Poulin at St. John the Baptist Church in Winslow. They were married for 59 years and for 35 of those years, besides having full-time careers and raising two children, acquired over 40 rental units they managed and maintained together until their sale in 2001.

Yvette was the family memory maker. She hosted large family Christmas parties annually for all the aunts, uncles, and cousins to gather and celebrate. During the summers, her welcoming backyard gave space for all the cousins and neighborhood friends to swim and play in the pool. She swam laps everyday each summer without ever once getting her hair wet!

Her grandchildren had magical childhoods with their Memere. She took them on many adventures at her timeshares in Stoneham and created a special space at their warehouse where the kids could immerse themselves in arts, crafts, and play. The many photos she took during these times will provide cherished memories.

Yvette was generous and kind, always willing to help anyone in need and share all the things that brought her joy with friends and family. The love and support she provided to so many over the years is immeasurable.

She loved to adventure outdoors. In the winters, she was off to her home in Florida where the weather was “perfect every day”. She explored every park, trail and beach she could find, and nothing made her happier. In the summer and fall, she spent weeks at her timeshares hiking and exploring Stoneham and Southwest Harbor, Maine. She always invited her sisters and friends to join her in Florida to enjoy the sunshine or Southwest Harbor for adventures in Bar Harbor. She so loved the beauty of the Stoneham area that she shared that love by gifting us all with our own timeshares to enjoy.

Yvette was a creative and talented artist who loved to craft and paint. The walls of their home were graced with many of her beautiful paintings, and she was so proud to make her special clothespin doll ornaments each holiday to gift to friends and family. When major (or just funny) events happened in her family and extended families’ lives, she would craft custom dolls that reflected a history personal to each person, down to the smallest detail. If these dolls were all brought together, they would tell the story of our family.

Yvette was predeceased by her parents, Irene (Reny) and Julienne (Breton) Lachance and her sister, Theresa Begin.

She is survived by her two children, Leonard D. Poulin, Jr.; Leslie Wilson and her husband Ian; three grandchildren Joshua Poulin, Jorja Poulin, Liam Poulin, and one great-granddaughter, Harper Poulin; sisters, Lucille Roy and Juliette Akins; brothers-in-law and their wives, Warren and Patricia Poulin, Michael and Madeline Poulin, and Tom and Roberta Poulin and many beloved nieces and nephews.

We are especially grateful to Aunt Jul and Erin Akins for their daily visits and gifts of home-made meals and special treats always prepared with love for Mom and Dad over the years and to Rhonda Landry, who provided exceptional and kind personal care and companionship to Yvette each day.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Church on her birthday, May 3, 2024, at 10 a.m. . There will be a luncheon gathering immediately following the mass at St. John’s School.

Arrangements are under the direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home and Cremation Service. There is an online register for messages and condolences at dignitymemorial.com.

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