Joan (Gadbois) Fillion

 Joan (Gadbois) Fillion passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2017. She was born on November 9, 1927 to Ephraim and Rose Gadbois of Littleton and was a member of the Littleton community for her entire 90 years of life.

Joan attended St. Rose of Lima Grammar School and was a 1946 graduate of Littleton High School. As a young woman, she worked at MacLeod’s Store on Main Street, and from 1970 to 1992 she worked as a paraprofessional and office assistant at Lakeway Elementary School.

Music was an important part of Joan’s life. She was a trained soprano with a beautiful voice. She loved to sing and sang at St. Rose of Lima Church for many years.

Joan grew up across the street from Francis Fillion, and they were classmates in school. They started dating when Francis returned to Littleton after serving in World War II and were married on June 17, 1950. They enjoyed and appreciated their 67 years together, and one of the last things Joan said was, “I’ve had a wonderful life.”

Anyone who knew Joan knows that she loved her home, loved to cook, and loved to bake. Her home was always neat as a pin, and no one ever visited without offers of delicious treats. Many years ago Joan took a cake decorating class. She enjoyed the class, practiced the techniques that were taught, and made many cakes for special occasions, including the lovely wedding cakes enjoyed at her children’s weddings.

Joan could sew and crochet very well, but what she most liked to do was knit. She created wonderful things for her family and friends. Her favorite knitting projects were sweaters, bonnets, and booties for babies and intricate, personalized Christmas stockings for the members of her family.

Music, baking, cooking, and knitting were all things that Joan loved, but the thing that she loved most was her family. She was a hard worker with high standards, and she would do absolutely anything for her husband, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Her family was the primary focus of everything that she did, and she and Francis were the gravitational force that kept the family close.

Joan was predeceased by her parents, a sister Frances (Gadbois) Messick of Poquoson, VA, and a brother, Robert Gadbois, of Littleton. She is survived by her husband, Francis Fillion; her children, Gail and husband Steven Holmes of Warner, NH, and Wayne and wife Shelley Fillion of Littleton; her grandchildren, Leslie Fillion and husband Rick Chartier of Manchester, NH, Sarah Fillion and husband Tyler Robison of Deering, NH, Matthew and wife Meridith Holmes of Whitefield, NH, Jeffrey Holmes of Jeffersonville, VT; and her two great grandchildren, Jacob and Adeline Holmes of Whitefield, NH.

A mass celebrating Joan’s life will be held at St. Rose of Lima Church on Thursday December 7, 2017 at 11AM. Burial will be a private family event held at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Joan’s name to St. Rose of Lima Church, 77 Clay Street, Littleton, NH 03561 or North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, 536 Cottage Street, Littleton, NH 03561.

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