Hortense L. Chagnon Obituary (1921 - 2016)

Hortense L. “Teddy” Chagnon, 95, a resident of Boylston Street in Boston, MA for many years and more recently of Nashua, NH, passed away Thursday afternoon, March 3, 2016 at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, after a period of declining health. Miss Chagnon was born in Fairfield, Maine on New Year’s Day in 1921, a daughter of the late Francis Xavier and Lucy (Poulin) Chagnon and was predeceased by her infant twin sister, Constance who lived three weeks. Teddy was a graduate of Madison High School Class of 1939 and served with the U.S. Navy Waves in Washington, D.C. during World War II from 1943 to 1946. In 1947, Teddy began her career at Air Canada in Boston as one of the first woman to work in a management position. She worked in the ticket office in Copley Square for many years and later at Logan Airport until her retirement in 1983. Teddy was a communicant of St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church in Boston for over 60 years; where she served on the Parish Council; taught Christian Doctrine and was a Eucharistic Minister. She attended mass daily at Saint Francis Chapel at the Prudential Plaza in Boston and volunteered for Match-up interfaith and Boston Agency Concerns. She was a charter member of the New World War II Memorial; the Woman’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Navy Memorial. Teddy also held membership the Massachusetts Veterans Wave Unit 17, 1-1 Old Iron Side. Hortense treated her family as if she was our Aunt and that is what we called her. Her home in Boston was a stop-over, a retreat, or a great place to stay to go see the Red Sox. Fondly known to her cousins as Aunt Hortense, Teddy will be greatly missed by her cousins including Darthy B. Cady and her husband Steve of Hudson, NH, Janice B. Caggiula and her husband Dan of Nashua, NH, Carolyn Fultz, Aldea and Arthur LeBlanc, John, David, Dick, Bill and Tom LaCasse, Connie LaCasse Craven and Nancy LaCasse Gallant, and their spouses and children all residing in Maine. A period of visitation will be held at the Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Avenue, Skowhegan, Maine, Thursday morning March 10th from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. followed by A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church, 273 Water Street in Skowhegan, at 11 o’clock. She will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery, Skowhegan, ME in the Spring. Local arrangements are in care of the Farwell Funeral Service, 18 Lock Street, Nashua, NH. (603) 882-0591. www.farwellfuneralservice.com