Barbara C. (LaVallee) Cremonese Tanguay

Portland, ME - Barbara Colette LaVallee Cremonese Tanguay passed away quietly on February 25, 2018, following several months of declining health, just two days short of her 85th birthday at St. Joseph’s Manor in Portland. 

She was born on Feb 27, 1933, in Lawrence MA, and raised in Portland, ME.  Barbara Graduated from Deering High School in 1951, when she began a career as personal secretary to then, Portland City Mayor Matthew Barron for quite a time, until marrying John Cremonese in 1958, who passed away in May of 1986. She was a house wife and mother, then later returned to the workforce at Fairchild Semiconductor, as a Fashion Two-Twenty Beauty and Sales Consultant, and eventually working for many years until retirement, for Portland Jetport Security, where she met her second husband, Gerard "Butch" Tanguay, of Westbrook, ME, who passed away May of 2015. 

She enjoyed traveling to see family and friends, including travels to Hawaii & California to visit her brothers Teddy & former WCSH longtime radio personality, Doug Lavallee, as well as Florida to visit her son & granddaughters. She and her husband Gerard took many trips before his passing in 2015, especially enjoying long weekend trips to the ocean, and attending summer Playhouse Theater throughout Maine, as well as accompanying "Butch" to many of his Jazz band engagements. 

She is survived by her daughter, Virginia Cremonese of Westbrook, ME, her son Joseph Cremonese and his wife Marie of Florida, their two daughters, Kristen Cremonese of California and Lauren Cremonese of Florida, both of whom called her "Gaga", as she had called her grandmother before them, carrying on a family tradition. 

We would like to thank all the family & friends in Maine who helped us deal with her long distance care. Words cannot express our thanks & gratitude to you all. 

Burial and memorial graveside service will be this spring/summer, and will be privately announced to those close family and friends before that time. 

In lieu of flowers, etc., donations in her memory can be made to St. Joseph’s Manor, 1133 Washington Avenue, Portland, ME 04103.