Octave J. 'Joe' Cormier

LANCASTER - Octave J. ‘Joe’ Cormier, 82 of Lancaster, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 15, 2022, at home surrounded by his loving family. Born in New Brunswick, Canada on December 1, 1939, Octave was the son of the late Albert and Yvonne (Dollard) Cormier. In addition to his parents, Octave was predeceased by his sisters, Lorraine M. Cormier, Muriel Cormier, and Ella Perry. Octave is lovingly survived by his wife of 60 years, Kathleen L. (St. Jacques) Cormier; daughters, Andrea M. Cormier of Lancaster, and Lynne M. (Cormier) and her husband Aaron Niser of Rindge, NH; grandchildren, Michelle L. Cormier of Beverly, and Brittany M. Cormier of Lancaster; brother, Gerard Cormier and his wife Huberte of Harvard, and sister, Rita Cormier and her husband Norman of New Brunswick, Canada; brothers-in-law Eli Cormier of Ayer, Ivan Perry of Gardner, Ernest St. Jacques of Lancaster, and many nieces and nephews. Octave was an avid outdoorsman who was often found hunting, fishing, or snowmobiling in his free time. Although he settled far from his native land of Canada, Octave continued to travel and see as much of the world as he could. He also enjoyed watching nature programs and working on his garden. Every summer he would grow so many tomatoes he would give them away by the bag. He was a handyman who helped construct many of the buildings in the Boston area. During trips to Boston, he could point out the buildings as if they were built yesterday. Less than a year before he passed, he rebuilt and painted his whole porch with only a little bit of help. A gentle giant to the children who loved him, Octave was a devoted husband and father who shared a deep bond with his family. Everyone can remember sitting down with Uncle Joe to watch old cartoons and The Three Stooges; he would laugh so hard that he would tear up. Children could easily sense that he was a softy with a bit of a penchant for mischief, but Octave was always happy to play along. He was the cherished, favorite uncle known for his handlebar mustache and tendency to slip you a $20 when no one was looking. As much as he was a quiet man, his comforting presence and stalwart reliability left a bigger impression on people than any words could. Octave would always be there when you needed him, without complaint, on time, and with a smile on his face. There is a hole now in the lives of the many people he has touched, but it was well worth it just to have known him. God knows he is up there waiting with a hammer and nails to fix things for us when we meet again. His Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, September 10th at 11:00 AM at Saint Cecilia Parish, 180 Mechanic Street, Leominster, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org or the American Heart Association at www.heart.org. For additional information or for online condolences, please visit www.andersonfuneral.com.

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Octave J. 'Joe' Cormier

December 1, 1939 - August 15, 2022