Roland A. Legros

LUNENBURG: Roland “Rollie” A. Legros peacefully passed with his family by his side in his hometown of Lunenburg, MA, after a period of failing health on the eve of December 10, 2022. He was 89. Roland was born March 11, 1933 in Fitchburg MA, the son of Hormisdas and Rose (Vachon) Legros. He was raised in Lunenburg, had homes in Fitchburg, California and Winchendon and most recently returned to his childhood community of Whalom, MA. He was the youngest of six children. Roland was the proud husband of Dianne (Harris) Legros. The couple married in 1954 and recently celebrated 68 years of marriage on November 27th. He graduated from Lunenburg High School in 1951, where he excelled in basketball and continued to play in the recreation leagues well into his 50s. In his youth, Roland and his musical family were stalwarts of the Lunenburg town band community; his father was one of the integral leaders of the town band and planted a lovely blue spruce honoring the band in the early 1960’s. Rollie played the trombone when he was a young man, traveling all over the tri-town area and was a regular at the local Lunenburg band concerts. Roland served in the U.S. Navy for 4 years. He built his own home in Lunenburg in 1957 and raised his four daughters there. He and his wife resided in this home for 38 years before relocating to Fitchburg. Roland’s work history included self-employment as a variety store owner, where he was famous for giving out penny candy and ice cream at the end of the school year to local children. For close to four decades, he worked as an electronics technician with Raytheon. He retired in 1991, and spent the next chapter of his life enjoying his hobbies of golfing, bowling, gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family. Roland was a self-reliant man who passed this trait on down to his four daughters, teaching them the best way to change a tire and weed and seed a garden at an early age. He was known to carry a salt shaker in his pocket to the garden so that his first bite of tomato was the perfect combination of salt and sun. He valued hard work, independence, resourcefulness and common sense. He liked to work with his hands; each home he lived in had a personal touch. He built sun porches, decks, fences, walkways and beautiful gardens in and around his homes. He was practical in all ways – from how he prepared for a winter storm to how he loved his family and friends. He always made sure the people he loved were cared for. He was a member of the Lunenburg Men's Bowling League for over 50 years, joining when it was started, originally in the Whalom Park Bowling Alley. Rollie enjoyed golfing well into his 8o's and was a past member of Monoosnock Country Club and the Winchendon Country Club. Rollie loved the ocean, taking many trips to Cape Cod and the Maine coast, where he enjoyed his favorite scallop and seafood dinners. And when corn on the cob was in season; that was even better. Rollie was known for his good-humored but powerful handshakes, showing off his strength well into his 80s. He was a competitor in most endeavors, particularly in card games - from cribbage, to pinochle to poker. He loved to win. Likewise, he loved to have fun: dancing the night away at golf tournaments and weddings, gambling at Foxwoods and laughing with lifetime friends over dinners. Roland was predeceased by his siblings Louise Thibault, Ida Rita Forest, David Legros, Lorraine Belanger; his son-in-law Scott Casson, and his infant son Andre. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Dianne Legros; his daughters and their spouses, Laura and Gregory Kincaid of Santa Clarita, CA, Elizabeth (Becky) and Michael Herrmann of Concord, NH, Kathryn Legros of Goleta, CA and Margaret (Peggy) Casson of Ashby, MA; his grandchildren John Kincaid, Matthew Kincaid, Lindsay Schulz, Emma Azzarello, Iris Schulz, Claire Herrmann, James Herrmann, Ian Otobe, Julian Littlehale, Allie Chartrand and Daniel Casson; his great-grandsons Elliot, Caleb, Dean, Cole, Luca, Lucas, Nathan, Tyler and his very new great-granddaughter, Ivy. He is also survived by his best friends of more than 80 years, Robert (Bob) and Joyce Moisan of Lunenburg, MA, his sister, Doris Draleaus of Gardner, MA, his sister-in-law Judith Horgan of Lunenburg, MA and his brother-in-law Peter Harris of CA. Calling hours will be from 10 to 11 AM, brief service and remarks following at the Anderson Funeral Home, 250 Main Street ~ Route 119, Townsend, MA 01469 In lieu of flowers, please consider mailing a donation to UMass Memorial Health Alliance Home Health & Hospice, 60 Hospital Road, Leominster MA 01453 or donate online: https://www.hahhh.org/ways-to-help/

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Roland A. Legros

March 11, 1933 - December 10, 2022