After taking 83 trips around the sun, and just 10 weeks shy of completing her 84th, Louise (Veilleux) Nickerson, of Westbrook, passed away on Monday, March 4, 2024 at 11:44pm, warm in her bed and surrounded by love. She leaves behind a very dysfunctional family that she was so incredibly proud of. She will be remembered for her larger than life personality, her take no sh… crap…. attitude, her infectious laugh, trademark stubbornness, being the constant in this crazy world, dependability, always showing up, and her knack for telling it like it is because the only thing she sugarcoated was her snacks.
Louise’s story starts on a Tuesday in Lewiston, ME, on the day she was born - May 14, 1940. She was the 5th of 7 children born to Dolor and Anita Veilleux. Louise is predeceased by her 4 older siblings: Roland, who passed at 2.5 years old before she was born, Don, Irene, and Alphonse. She is survived by her younger siblings, Paul and Gloria. Louise had a happy childhood growing up in Lewiston with her 5 siblings. Her parents immigrated from Canada and preferred the children speak French when at home. Louise had such admiration and a deep respect for her parents and always spoke of them fondly when reminiscing about them. As a young girl, she was somewhat of a tomboy, and to her mothers dismay, was not afraid to get her knees dirty. She loved going to the penny candy store and watching the trains with her childhood best friend, Charlene, with whom she has many fond memories. Louise was especially close with her sister, Irene, and though they had the occasional sisterly spat, they remained very close throughout their lives. Louise was the girl who danced to the beat of her own drum while still being obedient, following the rules, and always remained honest. Growing up in the 40s taught her lessons that she took with her throughout her life - lessons like the importance of frugality and being responsible.
Louise was married in February 1958 at just 17 years old. As a new, young bride, Louise and her husband lived and loved in Lewiston. She especially loved when her new husband would take her dancing. Shortly after she was married, in August 1958, she suffered a devastating loss when her first child, a little girl named Mary, was born too early and died at birth. Louise was never able to see or hold the baby she had carried inside of her for 6.5 months, a pain and heartbreak that cannot be understood unless you have experienced it firsthand. 2 years after that loss, Louise was blessed with another daughter, Diane, in September 1960. 14 months later, in November 1961, daughter Patricia came along. Louise was so happy to be a mother and loved her new role up until her husband decided that he didn’t want to be a father or husband after all and he left. Louise picked up the pieces the best she could and through this heartbreak, she grew strength. A strength that continued to grow and was a significant part of her character. After finding out that both of her daughters were deaf, Louise decided to move from Lewiston to Portland so that her daughters could attend a deaf school. Louise, being a single mother in the 60s, showed just how incredibly brave and independent she was when she left everything she knew to move to an area where she would be alone. This act in itself was a testament to the kind of woman she was, selfless and willing to sacrifice for those she loved, especially her children. In April 1966, the apple of her eye, a bouncy baby boy, Danny was born. Louise continued to sacrifice as a single mother for her 3 children in the years following. That sacrificing led her to continue life in Portland while married to husband #2, whom she married in 1972. During that time, she started a job she loved at JJ Nissen bakery. Louise loved a party and happily hosted holidays and special events in her home. She was quite the hostess and enjoyed making and keeping traditions. Louise enjoyed the nights she was able to go out dancing and would tear up that dance floor after having thrown back a few whiskies.
She became a grandmother in 1982 and claimed that to be the favorite title of all she’s had.
In 1993, after her children were adults, she divorced her husband and started over once again. Another example of how incredibly strong, brave, and independent she was as she had not yet ever had a license and did not get one until after her divorce. She found herself a nice little mobile home in Westbrook - a home that was all hers, one she worked hard for and was proud of. She remained in that home for the following 31 years until her death. In that small trailer, she built so many great, big memories. She continued to host parties and loved having her family together as often as possible over the holidays. Her 3 children gave her 7 grand-children, and though she was never secretive about which one was her favorite, she loved each of them so fiercely. Louise enjoyed spending time with the many friends she had, which included her very close friend Elaine who lived just across the street from her. She enjoyed walking with her friends. She would walk laps around the mall or walk different strips outside when the weather was nice. She enjoyed taking her grandchildren on outings and spoiling them when she was able to. When her first Grand-daughter, Catherine, was born, she was so over the moon in love with her and doted on her every chance she could. Every summer from 1993 – 1999, her granddaughter, Cassandra, would travel from RI to ME and stay with her for the whole summer, something Louise really cherished. The two of them had many adventures together, and while Cassandra was not the “favorite”, they had a very special relationship.
Louise was a dedicated and hard worker over the 27 years she worked at JJ Nissen and was awarded “Certificate of Attendance” for her perfect attendance in 1998. She really enjoyed working at the bakery and even once confessed to snacking on the donuts she was tasked to make, proud at how she had never been caught doing so! It was at the bakery where she met husband #3. In the summer of 1999, Louise retired from JJ Nissen after 27 years.
After retirement, she found herself wanting to travel and had many adventures over the years, big and small. She married husband #3, Stephen Nickerson, in September of 2005 and they lived together in her trailer in Westbrook. Louise enjoyed her crossword puzzles, commenting on those who she thought were “soo handsome”, trips to Beal’s ice cream, reading every Fern Michaels novel ever written, watching “Dancing with the Stars”, anything Elvis, getting her hair done (a girls gotta have her perm), relentlessly beating everyone in Scrabble (savage-like), playing slots at the casino, gossiping with anyone who had good gossip, having her monthly lunches with the “Golden Girls” and becoming a great-grandmother.
In May of 2020, Louise was diagnosed with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, an aggressive cancer that changed everything. After 3 months of chemotherapy and a few weeks of radiation, Louise kicked cancers butt. The treatment itself almost killed her, and though she no longer showed any signs of active cancer, her health declined in the years following. She struggled through the beginning stages of dementia, something which was very scary for her, yet, through it all, she showed strength and grace. February 2024 brought the sad news that her cancer had returned and that she did not have much time left. She was put on hospice and moved out of her home of 31 years, to her grand-daughters house to finish out her last few weeks. In a situation that would break most people, she once again showed everyone her strength, resiliency and grace. She was in pain, yet she continued to smile through it simply because she was happy to be surrounded by her family. She would light up at the sound of little voices entering her room. Despite a short prognosis, a dramatic life change and the toll the cancer was taking on her, she was happy in her last few weeks. To be happy in death….. what an incredible thing….. to go out feeling loved, and happy.
Louise’s proudest accomplishment is hands down her family. She was so proud of each of her 3 children - Diane, Patsy and Dan. She was also very proud of her son-in-law, Bob, who she thought the world of. She loved her role as a grandmother and enjoyed all the time spent with each of her 7 grandchildren - Catherine, Cassandra, Nicholas, Robert, Benjamin, Samuel, and Jessica. Once the great-grandmother stage of her life came around, she anxiously awaited the arrival of each new baby and felt such joy because of them. She was blessed with 7 great-grandchildren over the course of 15 years - Jasmyn, TreVaughn, Alauna, Colton, Addison, Jackson, Zoe, and an 8th great-grandbaby due to arrive June 2024.
Louise is the example of a life well lived. She experienced joy and love. She has beautiful memories of incredibly happy moments and fun adventures. She experienced pain and loss, is no stranger to heartbreak, has suffered through traumas, and has known sadness and disappointment. She had to overcome obstacles that were due to someone else’s choices. She laughed - a lot. She cried a lot too. She has many things she is so incredibly proud of. She also has regrets and things she would have done differently. She was, in other words, a perfectly imperfect human being. She had her faults, but she also had such beauty. The legacy she leaves behind in her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren is one of unconditional love and being unapologetically yourself.
A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor on Saturday, March 16, 2024, 1p-4p at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St, Portland
Louise was many things over the course of her 83 years, through all of it, she was a force….. and now, she flies with the butterflies.
~ In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to the Lymphoma Research Foundation (Lymphoma Research Foundation website: www.lymphoma.org) ~
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