South Portland, ME- Charles Boivin passed away Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

Charlie was born May 28, 1931, the first of four children of Charles and Jeannette (LaChance) Boivin in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont.  Red, as Charlie was  known to his Family and Friends in St. Johnsbury, attended parochial schools, prior to graduating from St. Johnsbury Academy, (1949).

As was true with many of his generation, Charlie went to work at the local grocery store packaging and delivering customers' orders before the age of 10.  However, holding down a job while going to school, didn't impede him from doing all the things a young lad did in his day; playing baseball, swimming, bicycling with friends, playing in the woods, or messing around in the railroad yard where his dad worked as a mechanic.

Charlie took on other part time jobs during his adolescent years while attending school but there was one in 1948 which changed his life forever.  Not in an occupational sense, but while working at Whalen's Drug Store as a clerk he met the young woman of his dreams, Jeannine Boudreau.  Very little kept the two apart for the next 73 years.

Upon graduating from the Academy in 1949 Charlie became employed full time at the H. P. Hood and Sons dairy and ice cream plant in St. Johnsbury.  Soon after, with international conflict occurring in Southeast Asia, Charlie enlisted in the U. S. Army where he served in Korea with many other courageous soldiers, as a Paratrooper in the 187 ^th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, known as the Rakkasans.

Before disembarking from the States for Korea, while on a brief military leave,  Charlie and Jeannine married on the morning of Memorial Day, May 30, 1951.

In 1956, an occupational opportunity from H. P. Hood made for a transfer to their Portland Ice Cream processing facility, Charlie and Jeannine, along with two toddlers, Michael, and Sandra, relocated to South Portland, Maine, specifically to a neighborhood known as Stanwood Park, which was to be their home for a lifetime.  Soon after settling in, the family was blessed with their second of three daughters, Kathy, the Family's First Mainer.

The tradition of Family in the 1950's and 60's was with Charlie going off to work each day before sunrise and Jeannine assuming domestic duties with a priority on raising and educating their children.  Evenings and weekends were always centered around family and community activities.

Charlie's only non-family passion was deer hunting.  Each November Saturday being set aside for the elusive hunt.  With longtime friend Charlie Maynard, they would drive 60 miles north to the Buckfield/West Sumner area, where they would track and hunt whitetails.  Most seasons didn't benefit a trophy buck, but the peaceful serenity of being in the forest on a cold, crisp, autumn day, was often reward enough for these two friends.

Once the children were of adult age and out of the house in the 1980's Charlie and Jeannine started riding cross country on their motorcycle.  For more than a dozen years, the couple would spend the winter months considering the route of travel based on which National Park or scenic roads they wished to visit and travel.  However, the routing of the journey was secondary to visiting their daughter Sandy and granddaughters in California.  Once there, trips to Disneyland and other adventure parks were enjoyed by one and all.

Before retirement, but after serving H. P. Hood for 35 years, the Portland ice cream plant closed.  In short order, Deering Ice Cream moved their operation into the former Hood Facility on Walton Street where Charlie worked until retirement.

Charlie and Jeannine enjoyed attending Maine Mariner Hockey Games at the Civic Center and Sea Dog Games-when they were a Marlins' affiliate- at Hadlock Field.  Charlie would always wear his New York Yankee ball cap everywhere he went and enjoyed talking baseball with anyone who approached him.  During the baseball season Charlie was a fan of two teams; The Yankees and whoever was playing the Bosox.

Once retired Jeannine and Charlie, continued to enjoy domestic travel in the winter and gardening in the summer months.  Jeannine cared for her home's flower gardens while Charlie cultivated a large vegetable garden on farmland rented from Bob Fickett.  The yield from the garden was shared with extended family and neighbors, with the couple canning and preserving the surplus.

Later in life Jeannine was challenged with health issues.  Her comfort and wellbeing became Charlie's day to day focus.  With God's blessing they celebrated their 70 wedding anniversary days before her passing in 2021.  With a broken heart, the will to live has been too much for Charlie to overcome the last 13 months.  His own health declined rapidly.  Daughter Kathy oversaw Charlie's care before and during this trying time as well as almost daily trips to Calvary Cemetery to sit with the love of his life Jeannine.

Kathy and the family wish to express their gratitude and well wishes to all the healthcare providers who assisted Charlie professionally but also befriended the two of them during these past few months.

Charlie was predeceased by his parents, brother Eugene and sister Jeanne Boivin Cambridge.  He is survived by his brother Victor and wife Cecile, sister-in-law Joan Garboriault, brother-in-law Leon Cambridge, son Michael, wife Gail, daughter Sandra Smith, daughter Kathy Hanlon, husband Brian, and daughter Deborah Hannigan.  Granddaughters Jerry Stern, Betty Minnick, Karma Brubaker, and Malika Azziz.  Grandson Nicholas Dennison and many Great Grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be 3-6 p.m., Sunday, July 17 ^th at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland.  A Mass of Christian Burial  will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 18, at Holy Cross Church, South Portland, followed by a graveside service with Military Honors at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

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