Reginald Camille Marchand

October 24, 1915 - March 27, 2005

Reginald C. Marchand, 89 of Perron Avenue Somerset, died Sunday at home. He was the husband of the late Mary Rita (Canavan) Marchand. He was the companion of Lucille Gamache of Fall River for the last 25 years.

Mr. Marchand was born October 24 1915, in Fall River MA a son of the late Camiile & Corinne ( Trottier) Marchand.
He was a Utility Marketing / Advertising Manager for the Fall River Electric Light Company ( Now Eastern Edison) for 30 years from 1950 – 1980 before retiring.

A graduate of BMC Durfee High School class of 1933, then he graduated from Thibodeau Business College Upon graduating from business college he became office manager at Electrolux corporation Fall River office, and later transferred to Providence Office as District Manager.

He has lived in Somerset since 1950 coming from Fall River.
He was a parishioner of St Thomas More Church, where he had been an acolyte, lector, and member of the original men’s choir, and later mixed choir for more than 35 years.
He was also a member of St Anne’s Holy Name Society, and had been a solicitor for business contributions to the Catholic Charities Appeal.

Mr. Marchand was an active member of the Somerset Lions Club, for more than 50 years, he had been treasurer of the Advertising Club SEMA, treasurer of the former Dolphin Swim Club, manager of a Somerset Minor League Baseball Team. He was at New York World’s fair with the Somerset Community Chorus on Somerset Day. Mr. Marchand was past president of the FRELCO Golf League, as well as a member of the Bowling League.
He was founding member of the Greater Fall River Development Corp., a life member of the American Legion, Swansea Post 303, the Americal Division Veterans Association, the Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans, and the AMVETS Louis A Conlon Post 782 Somerset.
He had also attended Bristol Community College, and completed a Utility Management Course at Stone & Webster in New York.

He served in the US ARMY during WWII, as a Staff Sergeant. He was assigned to the Yankee Division 180th Field Artillery Battalion, following the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a part of the Yankee Division that was shipped to Austraila and new Caledonia where the “Americal Division" was formed. From New Caledonia, in the first offensive against the Japanese, the Americal assisted the Marines in a successful invasion of Guadalcanal to secure a valuable airfield. With hundres of Soldiers infected with malaria Mr. Marchand was sent to Fiji Islands for treatment and then sent back to Bouganville for more combat duty and the liberationof the Phippine Islands. As Headquarters Staff Sergeant, his primary duty was decoding messages. Following 54 months of service he was honorably discharged. While in the service he received a good conduct medal, Asiatic Pacific Theatre campaign ribbon, and a Bronze Star.

After being discharged he found work at the Fall River Electric Light Company which later became Eastern Edison, as Marketing Manager, his advertised promotions in local papers were noted in national publications.

As a member of the Fall River Chamber of Commerce, he was on the Downtown Parking Committee, which succeeded in building 2 parking garages while New England Electric was contemplating building a power plant in Somerset, he furnished favorable statistics data to a NEES official. Upon his retirement he was asked by the President of the Chamber of Commerce to form a group of retired business executive volunteers to advise new small business entrepeneurs, thus the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) was formed. In addition he was supervisor of Edison Speakers Bureau, and was guest speaker on numerous occasions, under the “ Company to School” program he was a volunteer who read to students at the Silvia School. He was a customer relations representative for Montaup Electric during their conversion to coal burning and he was also past chairman of the Residential committee of the Electric council of New England. He also supervised the company’s wiring allowance program, which compensated homeowners who upgraded their electric service to operate certain appliances. Mr Marchand organized the Retired Employees of Eastern Edison now in its 25th year.

He is survived by his companion of 25 years - Lucille Gamache of Fall River, 2 sons Paul Marchand of Somerset, Robert Marchand of Fall River, 2 daughters Bonnie Marchand – Fontaine of Swansea, Mary Beth Bennett of Taunton, 2 sisters Leona Lambert of Tiverton RI,Lucille Pelletier of Fall River, 9 grandchildren, 1 great grand daughter. Several nieces and nephews.

He was brother of the late Jeannette Ouimet, Loretta Drewniak, Beatrice Pigeon

Funeral Information

Mr. Marchand's funeral will be held Thursday, March 31, 2005 at 9:00am from the Hathaway Community Home for Funerals, 900 Buffinton St., Somerset, MA, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St Thomas More Church 386 Luther Avenue Somerset, burial with Military Honors will be in St Patrick cemetery Somerset. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Calling hours are Wednesday, March 30, 2005 from 2 – 4 & 7- 9 pm

Donations Information

In lieu of flowers gifts in Mr. Marchand's memory can be sent to Karen A Marchand Scholarship Foundation of Somerset PO Box 306 Somerset Ma 02726 or Somerset Lions Club Eye Research PO Box 303 Somerset MA 02726