Irene Marie (Gallant) Dumont

SKOWHEGAN – Irene Dumont, 107, reluctantly gave up her Boston Post Cane on June 5, 2025, as Skowhegan’s oldest resident.

She was born in Van Buren on August 23, 1917, the daughter of Arthur and Marguerite (Ouellette) Gallant. Following the early death of her father and financial losses during the stock market crash in the late 1920s, Irene’s family relocated to Skowhegan where she helped to make ends meet by working in the spinning mill on the island. She was later a waitress at several local restaurants. Irene had the opportunity to wait on President Eisenhower when he visited Skowhegan in 1955.

Irene married Eugene Dumont in 1938, and they raised five children. Gene would serve in the army as a lieutenant during World War II and as captain in the Maine National Guard, before working in the Skowhegan post office. After retirement, they wintered in Lakeland, FL. They used to drive their camping trailer north every summer to visit their children and grandchildren.

Gene passed away in 1995.

Irene loved being the center of attention and enjoyed participating in family gatherings and events –especially if they were celebrating another milestone in her long life.

She was a “late bloomer.” In her 50’s she started driving a car. In her 60’s, she learned to ski at Eaton Mountain, and took up bowling, playing on two league teams. In her 70’s, she learned to use a checking account and pay bills, which she maintained with little assistance for over 20 years. She also left the country for the first time, on a trip to Italy. In her 80’s, she took up shuffleboard, topping the leader board and winning trophies along the way.

Irene was a voracious reader and loved good mystery and political thrillers. She enjoyed daytime soap operas, referring to them as her “stories.” She remembered listening to some of these back when they were still radio programs. She was also an avid New England Patriots fan. She played thousands of card games over the course of her lifetime. She hated losing and was enthusiastic about winning. It did not matter who her opponent was. Her final card game –cribbage – saw Irene gleefully skunk her own grandson.

She also loved horse racing. Irene and Gene worked at the parimutuels for several years in the 1960s and 1970s. She continued betting and attending the horse races at local county fairs until well past her 100th birthday. Numerous family members often accompanied her, as if she were holding court down by the racetrack. Some of Irene’s grandsons owned racehorses, and she frequently got to appear in the winner’s circle for official photographs.

At the age of 107, Irene was the last of her generation. All her siblings predeceased her: Artheline Lurette, Rose Vashon, and Raymond, Gloris and Lucien Gallant. She also suffered the loss of two grandsons: Jon Bolduc and David Dumont.

Surviving are her five children: Patricia Bolduc of Skowhegan, Elaine (Wayne) Folsom of North Fort Myers, Fla., Eugene (Dianna) Dumont of Smithfield, Ronald (Ruth) Dumont of Skowhegan, and Kathleen Dumont of Skowhegan; twelve grandchildren: Lance (Cecilia) Bolduc of Skowhegan, Ronald (Tina) Bolduc of Lugoff, S.C., Suzanne (Tim) Laney of Sidney, Steven (Lesley) Folsom of Norridgewock, Scott Folsom of Port Charlotte, Fla., Andrew Dumont of Smithfield, Deidre (William) Briggs of Gorham, Kelly (Barry) Lemery of the Villages, Fla., Meagan Dumont of Waterville, Brian (Erika) Beaulieu of Skowhegan, Karen (Chris) Smith of Skowhegan, and Jeffrey (Libby) Foss of Skowhegan; 23 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; and many nephews, nieces and extended family members, and her special friends, Bert, Barbara and Vi.

The family wishes to thank the Redington Memorial Home for loving “their” Irene, and thanks also to the Cedar Ridge Nursing Home.

There will be a funeral mass at the Skowhegan Notre Dame Church on June 16, 2025, at 1 p.m., followed by a reception immediately after at Somerset Valley Remembrance Center at 19 Washburn Lane in Skowhegan.

Irene will be laid to rest on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 1 p.m., alongside her husband at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery located at Civic Center Drive, 143 Blue Star Avenue, in Augusta.

Please visit Irene’s memorial page at https://svremembrancecenter.com/obituaries/irene-dumont where condolences, photos, and special memories may be shared.