Valley Breeze

18 obituaries / woonsocket JULY 31-AUGUST 6, 2014 | vALLeY breeze | norTh SmiThfieLd bLAckSTone woonSockeT the church grounds, which will be staffed with at least five police officers and two EMTs at all times to ensure safety. At least 30 carnival workers – some with their families – will be liv- ing throughout the week on church grounds. And at the center of it all, the Rev. Maurice Brindamour seems to be far more amused than anx- ious by the action building up around him. "The pastor does not get dunked. That's rule number one," he said in reference to the "Dunk the Clown" game, return- ing this year after a brief hiatus. Everything else, Brindamour said, is negotiable. Clearly, this is not the pastor's first festival at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs parish. The OLQM Parish Festival turns 60 this year, and the tra- dition, started in 1954 by the church's first pastor, Monsignor Ronaldo Gadoury, is still going strong, now a staple in city life and a mid-summer right of pas- sage for the children, teens and grown-up adventure-seekers who board its dozens of rides. "About half the rides are for little kids and about half are for teenagers and regular people who like to get shook, rattled and rolled," said Brindamour. The festival also offers four days of games, raffles, entertain- ment and traditional fair treats, including, of course, fried dough boys and cotton candy. A committee of parishioners started planning for this year's festival in January, and between 150 and 200 volunteers will donate time this week to make it happen. And while many things have changed at the annual event over the past 60 years, it seems many have not. The festival still supports the parish, a congregation of around 1,200 families hail- ing in near equal proportions from Woonsocket and North Smithfield, and the school, a Catholic facility named after the church's founder that serves stu- dents in grades Pre-K to 2. "The pastor wanted to be able to pay for and build a church and a school, and maintain it," said Brindamour. "That's what this still does." Gadoury began the tradition on church land situated centrally then, as it is now, at the busy intersection in Park Square just over the North Smithfield town line. The "carnival," as Gadoury called it, would continue for 50 consecutive years. "It started out fairly small," said Brindamour. Gadoury's carnival also had rides, food and games, and dur- ing its heyday, was two weeks long. The carnival was a big money- maker in the 1960s and 1970s, when gambling at the event was legal, and those inclined toward a game of chance didn't have the option of driving to Twin River. The inclusion of elements like "Las Vegas nights" allowed the parish to raise some $50,000 to $60,000 each year in profits on gambling alone. "The church made out really well for a few years on gam- bling," said the pastor. "Those days are over." By the time Brindamour joined the church in 2003, the festival had shrunk to five days. And the volunteers, he said, were ready for a break. "I said, next year, the carnival is over. We're not going to have one." True to his word, Brindamour did not hold the event in 2004. But the break would prove to be short-lived. The pastor said that in 2005, a group of parishioners led by Romeo Berthiaume approached him. "They said 'we want to do one this year. We don't feel like we're being the parish that we're made to be,'" Brindamour said. "They talked me into four days." It was Brindamour who insist- ed that the event be called a "festival" instead of a "carnival." "Our festival looks a lot like a This photo shows the OLQM festival's early days, year unknown. Anne Melnyk, 87, of Woonsocket, died July 28. She was the wife of the late Walter Melnyk. She leaves two daughters, Elizabeth Fleury of North Smithfield and Pauline Comtois of Manville; and five grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren. leo e. lefebvre Sr., 75, of Woonsocket, formerly of Cumberland, died July 22. He was a son of the late Louis and Yvonne (Rogers) Lefebvre. He leaves his chil- dren, Lisa M. Buterbaugh of North Kingstown, Lee-Anne Jackonski of Kissimmee, Fla., Leo E. Lefebvre Jr. of Smithfield and Larry M. Lefebvre of Cumberland; his siblings, Claire Crudele, Annette Lee, Joseph and Gerard Lefebvre and Rita Conte; and 10 grandchildren. JoSeph M. power, 65, of West Park Place, Woonsocket, died July 20. He leaves his wife, Suzanne Eisnor; two children, Michael Power and Jennifer Power; two stepchil- dren, James McKenna and Heather McKenna; a brother, Dan Power; and five step- grandchildren. Also, Keith R. Cabana of North Smithfield and Michael S. Cabana of Woonsocket lost their mother, and Robert Scott Charland of Woonsocket lost his sister, Pamela G. Cabana, 55, of Mapleville, July 25. Michael Shurtleff of Woonsocket lost his mother, Alberta C. Shurtleff, 80, of North Providence, July 22. Irene C. (Benoit) Roberts, 97, of Centerville, Mass., died on July 23, 2014, at Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis. She was the wife of the late Raymond E. Roberts. Born in Providence, R.I., Irene was the daughter of the late David and Delia (Houde) Benoit. After graduating from Central High School, Providence, R.I., Irene lived in Woonsocket, R.I., for 38 years before moving to West Yarmouth. She was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church and the Spirit of Jesus Prayer Group. She is survived by two sons, Richard Roberts, and his wife Irene of Centerville, Mass., and B. Roy Roberts of Mashpee, Mass.; her daughter, Elaine Barrette of Cumberland, R.I.; and eight grandchildren and nine great- grandchildren. She was pre- deceased by her sister, Lillian Wilde. Her funeral will be held Thursday, July 31, 2014, beginning with visitation at 9:30 a.m. in the Holt Funeral Home, 510 So. Main St., Woonsocket, R.I., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. in St. Charles Church, 190 No. Main St., Woonsocket. Burial will follow in Notre Dame Cemetery, 359 Daggett Ave., Pawtucket, R.I. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul, 21 Cross St., Hyannis, MA 02601. Visit www.holtfuneral- home.com . Irene C. Roberts robertS deAth noticeS olQM from Page one continues on next page You can donate blood at the Rhode Island Blood Center's Woonsocket site, 2168 Diamond Hill Road, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12-7 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays 8 a.m.-2 p.m. or visit one of these community blood drives: thurSdAy, Aug. 7 • North Smithfield Fire & Rescue, 1470 Providence Pike, 4:30-6:30 p.m. • Spark Grill & Tapas Bar, 900 Victory Highway, No. Smithfield, 5-7 p.m. For information on donating blood, call the Rhode Island Blood Center at 800-283-8385. blood driveS In your time of need, The Valley Breeze will print your loved one's full obituary for a small charge. The paper also places the obituary on our Web site, valleybreeze.com, as soon as it is provided to us by your family's funeral director. Notification to friends and neighbors is also made weekdays on WOON-AM radio announcements. Should you desire our services, kindly inform your funeral director. 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