Alida Marie (Boutin) Belanger

OAKLAND – It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our cherished mother and grandmother, Alida Marie Belanger (Boutin). She will be forever engraved on our hearts.

Alida, a longtime resident of Oakland, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at the age of 90 on March 26, 2026, at the home of her daughter in Vassalboro, where she had been lovingly cared for by family members for the past three years.

Alida was born on June 29, 1935, in Saint-Martin, Quebec, Canada, the daughter of Cleophas Boutin and Anaïs Jolin of St. René, Quebec.

She was one of 16 siblings – predeceased by her parents and siblings, Alphonsine (late Edmond Jolin), Alphonse (late Rose Jolin), André (late Thérèse Morin), Annette (late Lucien Landry), Alfreda (late Fernand Poulin), Arthur (late Cécile Grenier), Antonio (Violette Grenier), Armande (late Fernand Lessard), Alexandrine (late Lauréat Morin), Anne-Marie (late Grégoire Morin), Antonia (late Joseph Bisson), Albertine (late Maurice Bolduc), and Albert, and survived by Absolon (Patricia Beaulieu) and Ange-Emile (late Lise Beaudoin); as well as many cousins; nieces, and nephews.

Alida grew up working on her family’s turnip farm in Canada. She enjoyed hunting rabbit and catching partridge with her own innovative traps, often selling them to local restaurants. She loved sharing stories about her cherished pet pig. She also designed and sewed most of her own dresses, creations her sisters often admired and requested for themselves.

At the age of 20, Alida immigrated to Maine where she began working at Volmer’s Nursing Home in Vassalboro before moving on to the Hathaway Shirt Company in Waterville. She later married and divorced, then built a beautiful life raising her five children independently, always keeping them connected to their Canadian roots through frequent visits.

Alida was never afraid of hard work. She retired from Scott Paper Company in Winslow, where she held a variety of roles over the years, from pulling logs from the river in her early days to working as a forklift operator and performing general mill work later in her career. Anyone who knew Alida from the mill shared fond memories and kind words, often telling stories of her incredible work ethic and offering cautionary tales about never trying to “turn wrists” with her. It was her proud bragging right that she could beat anyone at arm wrestling, whether at Scott Paper or the VFW.

Alida carried her passion for sewing well into her adult life, always sewing dresses and pajamas for her grandchildren. If there wasn’t a table covered in fabric, there was likely a kitchen table full of crêpes that she loved making for her grandchildren and anyone who stopped by. If you couldn’t find her inside, she was sure to be found outside tending to her beautifully kept garden from dawn until long after dusk – one of her proudest accomplishments and rightfully so.

More than anything, Alida cherished her grandchildren. She made time for each of them, whether it was putting together puzzles, playing card games, or playfully teaching them to gamble away their coins and dollar bills. She was known for her silly antics, her French slang, and her unique catchphrases, often teasing her grandchildren that she was going to “throw them in the rubbish.” Not a single summer passed without berry picking with her crew of little “scarecrows” in tow – all the grandchildren dressed in straw hats, oversized plaid shirts with rolled-up sleeves, and slathered in Skin-So-Soft.

She is survived by her five children, son, Danny Belanger and his partner Darlene of Waterville, daughter, Lynda Watson and her husband Don of Vassalboro, son, Tony Belanger and his wife Cherri of Vassalboro, son, Randy Belanger of Oakland, and daughter, Tracy Belanger of Largo, Fla.

She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, step-grandson Derek Harris; Monica Belanger and her daughter Indie Alida Belanger; Asia Watson and her twins, Grayson and Maisie Libby; Damian Belanger and his wife Courtney and their daughters Lily and Lucy Belanger; Cameron Casey; Abigail Watson; and Abbey Prescott.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Maine General Medical Hospice team.

Special thanks as well to hospice nurse Julie and to travel nurse Lucy, who played a major role in helping us with mom’s recovery after her release from the hospital three years ago.

A special note of gratitude to her granddaughter Abigail Watson who took three years from her young life to help care for her grandmother, as well as granddaughter, Monica Belanger, for her several trips from Florida.

A graveside service will be held at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, 78 Grove St., Waterville at a later date, to be announced.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm St., Waterville. An online guestbook may be signed; condolences and memories shared at http://www.gallantfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to

MaineGeneral Home Care and Hospice

10 Water St.

Suite 307

Waterville, ME 04903-0828.

Donations may also be made to

Safe Haven Humane Society

P.O. Box 91

Wells, ME 04090