Normand Savard Obituary (1934

WINTHROP - Normand J. 'Norm' Savard, 74, of Main Street died Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, at MaineGeneral Medical Center, Augusta. He was born in Lewiston on Aug. 23, 1934, the son of Antonio and Marie Ange (Simard) Savard. Norm graduated from St. Dominic's High School in 1952 and served in the Army from 1955 to 1958. After his discharge from the Army, he returned to school and graduated from Bliss College in Lewiston. In August 1966, he married Jane Beaulieu in Lewiston. Together they raised two sons, Gregory and Kevin. Norm was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church, where he served as a lector and Eucharist minister; and was also a member of the Catholic Men's Club and the Knights of Columbus. He served as treasurer of Healthy Futures for many years and attended many meetings. Norm's 38-year telephone industry career began in 1961, when he joined Community Service Telephone as a commercial representative, serving customers in Winthrop and surrounding communities. In 1967 he was promoted to accounting and commercial manager, overseeing customer service and the accounting departments. His career progressed under the tutelage of John Connor. Norm gained extensive knowledge of the phone company from the ground up including climbing poles and stringing cables with the line crew. It wasn't long before he became general manager and in 1983 was promoted to the office of president. He has served as director, secretary, treasurer and clerk of CommTel. His contributions to the community include a long association with the Rotary Club, where he served as president and worked on many charitable activities. He served as a director and vice president of the Winthrop Downtown Development Corp., working to promote economic development in the Winthrop area. During his busy telephone career, Norm took an active part in the industry associations representing Community Service Telephone in the Telephone Association of Maine and the Telephone Association of New England. He served as director, vice president and president of TANE and president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of TAM. He participated in the industry's National Association, including the United States Telephone Association, National Telephone Cooperative Association and Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies. As a member of TANE's Independent Telephone Pioneers Association, he became quickly involved in the Association's Scholarship Program, which makes funds available to dependents of the industry's employees to assist them in achieving a higher education. Norm figured out a way to turn the somber subject of funerals into a positive thing. Years ago he proposed that rather than sending flowers, why not send money to the scholarship fund instead? Norm was serving as president of the ITPA Downeast Club for 2008-2009. In 2008, he received a Community Service Award given by the Independent Telephone Pioneers. Since his retirement, Norm had enjoyed going to Florida during the winter months. He loved walking as well as jogging. He enjoyed playing tennis and golf and watching all types of sporting events. He was predeceased by his parents, Antonio and Marie Savard; and a sister, Lorraine Gahagan. He is survived by his wife, Jane Savard of Winthrop; two sons, Gregory Alan Savard and his wife, Gale, of Windham, and Kevin James Savard of Falmouth; two beautiful granddaughters, Elizabeth 'Lily' Savard and Sydney Cameron Savard; his sisters, Muriel Albert and her husband, Maurice, of Leeds and Dolly Grenier and her husband, Peter, of Lewiston; also many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends near and far. Visiting hours will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, at Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Xavier Church, Winthrop. Burial will be held at a later date in the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery, Augusta. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ITPA Scholarship Fund, c/o Jeffrey Webber, Treasurer, 72 James St., Bangor, ME 04401; or HealthReach Hospice c/o Office of Philanthropy, P.O. Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903. www.khrfuneralhomes.com