Family/Spouse: Vaillancourt. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DOB: 1930 Census

VAN BUREN - John A. Lajoie, 93, peacefully entered into rest Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at a Van Buren healthcare facility. He was born September 21, 1928, in Cyr Plantation, a son of the late Abel and Annie (Thibodeau) Lajoie.
John enlisted with the U.S. Army and served honorably while in South Korea during the Korean War, and worked in railroad transportation. Upon his return stateside, he worked over 35 years with Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, where he also represented the United Way for the railroad company's social and civic events. John was a life member of the American Legion, Van Buren, and VFW, Caribou. Faith being paramount, he was a devoted parishioner of St. Bruno-St. Remi Church, where he also proudly served many years as a Eucharistic Minister, was a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree Assembly, Van Buren, and was a longtime member of the Third Order of Mary.
He is survived by his three children, Brian Lajoie and his wife, Lorraine, Susan Lajoie, all of Van Buren, and Kathy Lajoie of Ellsworth; two siblings, Bernard Lajoie and Anneleen Loughlin, both of Portsmouth, NH; seven grandchildren, Christopher, Matthew, Sarah, Amy, Keith, Kelly, and Brandon; ten great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, John was predeceased by his loving wife of over 58 years, Phyllis (Bouchard) Lajoie in 2011; two brothers, Garner and Conrad Lajoie; and an infant brother, Kenneth Lajoie.

John Phyllis Bouchard 6 Jun 1953Van Buren, ME. Phyllis 30 May 1931 Van Buren, ME; 1 Oct 2011Van Buren, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DOB, DOD: obit

Notes:

DOB: Maine Birth Record, obit has 26 Feb 1905, listed as Alex in the 1910 census
Marriage: Lippe pg 337
DOD: Social Security Death Index

Abel W. Lajoie, 90, died June 10, 1995, at a Van Buren nursing home. He was born at Cyr Plantation, Feb 26, 1905, the son of William J. and Claudia (Violette) Lajoie. He was employed as a potato farmer in Cyr Plantation until 1940 and then moved to southern Maine where he worked at the Portland Shipyard prior to and during World War II. He then worked as a carpenter for a few years before returning to northern Maine. He relocated to the Portsmouth NH area in 1954 where he lived and worked until his retirement in 1973 as a custodian and carpenter for the City of Portsmouth. He and his wife returned to Van Buren in 1985 where they resided at the Borderview Manor nursing home. He is survived by his wife Annie (Thibodeau) Lajoie of Van Buren; four sons, John A. Lajoie and Garner A. Lajoie both of Van Buren, Bernard W. Lajoie and Conrad D. Lajoie both of Portsmouth, N.H.; one daughter Mrs Bernard (Annieleen) Laughlin of Troy, N.Y.; two sisters Cecile Ouellette of Van Buren and Mrs Albert (Germaine) Tardif of Lewiston; 19 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son Kenneth Lajoie in 1935; six brothers, Willie Lajoie, Felix Lajoie, Emile Lajoie, Gilbert Lajoie, Come Lajoie and Wilfred Lajoie; and by three sisters, Azilda Cormier, Anna Martin and Laura Dube. Relatives and friends may call at the Ouellette-Thibault Funeral Home 12 High St Van Buren 2-4 and 7-9 pm Monday and from 9:30 am until time of services on Tuesday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am Tuesday at the St Bruno-St Remi Catholic Church. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery Portsmouth NH.

Abel Anne Marthe Thibodeau 8 Nov 1927Van Buren, ME. Anne (daughter of Antoine Thibodeau and Anne Berube) 25 May 1907 St. Leonard-Parent, NB; 26 May 1907 St. Leonard-Parent, NB; 4 Nov 1995Van Buren, ME; 8 Nov 1995Portsmouth, NH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DOB: Poitras
DOD: Anneleen Lajoie Loughlin

Notes:

DOM: Anneleen Lajoie Loughlin

Notes:

DOB, DOD: obit

WILLIAM LAJOIE, VAN BUREN, March 12-William J. Lajoie 88, died Thursday at a St Basile NB nursing home after a short illness. Lajoie was born in Edmundston June 27 1870 son of Joseph and Ida (Marquis) Lajoie. He was a membpr of the League of the Sacred Heart. Surviving are four sons Willie, Felix, and Come of Van Buren, and Abel of Portsmouth, five daughters Mrs Aztlda Cormier, and Mrs Cecile Ouellette of Van Buren, Mrs Anna Martin of Waterville, and Mrs Laura Dube and Mrs Germaine Tardif of Lewiston. Friends may call at Thlbault's Funeral Home here Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 10 o'clock. Funeral services will be conducted at St Bruno's Catholic Church Monday morning at 9 o'clock. The Rrv John Bouchard SM will officiate at the Solemn High Mass of Requiem. Burial will be at the family lot St Bruno's Cemetery, in spring.

The Lajoie Family
They Helped Develop Cyr Plantation

Above photo is a Family portrait of Mr. and Mrs. William Lajoie, who developed a large amount of land in Cyr Plantation and who have left descendants who still maintain farms in the community. The picture was taken in 1923.

First row from left are Come, Gilbert, Willie, William Lajoie (father); Germaine, who became Mrs. Albeit Tardif; Clodie(Violette) Lajoie, the mother; and Felix. In back row, left to right, Emile Abel, Cecil, who become Mrs. Noel Ouellette; Laura, who became Mrs,. Alphy Perreoult and later Mrs. Thomas Dubay; Anna, who became Mrs. Billy Martin and Azilda, who became Mrs. Come Cormier.

Mr. William Lajoie came to Van Buren at the age of three with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lojoie, formerly of Edmundston. He was born in 1871. At the age of 19 he married Odedlie Deveau, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Deveau of Cyr Plantation • The couple married and resided in Augusta for a year. William worked on the electric car there.

At the end of their first year of marriage his wife died in childbirth and so did the baby. William returned to Cyr Plantation and later married Clodie Violette, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Belonie Violette of Van Buren. The couple first settled on the farm of Michel Lojoie, an uncle of William’s. The agreement was that they could have the farm in return for giving room and board to Uncle Michel. The William Lajoies lived in the barn and he later told his children about being able to hear the horses eating their hay from their living quarters.

Azilda, Anna and Willie were all born in the barn, but things did not work out as the family had hoped and they soon moved to the main road, buying Augustin Madore’s farm. Willie was three years old when they made this move to the farm which is now owned by Norman Lajoie.

At the new farm, the family put in a great deal of hard work, rising early and going to bed very late, and they developed a prosperous farm and raised a family that grew to 11. William was able to establish each of his older sons on a farm of his own. Felix farmed the land owned by Honore Bosse. Abel took over the farm belonging to Cyprien Lajoie, an uncle, and this land is now owned by Come Lajoie. Willie farmed Billy Martin’s land and later bought “Baby” Lajoie’s farm, all of which is now one farm belonging to Raymond Lajoie. The old homestead went to the late Gilbert, and now his son Norman operates the farm.

The Lajoies controlled so much of the land in Cyr Plantation that a mile in the community on the Caribou road became known as “Le Boute Des Lajoie,” a recognition of the hardworking family.

When Germaine, the baby, was only 10 years old, Mrs. Lajoie died and the family remained together with Cecile acting as head of the family. William later remarried Agnes Clavette Bourgoin, a widow, who died in 1931. He then lived with his son Gilbert, for 27 years and died at the age of 87 in 1958. Of his children, Come, Willia, Germaine, Felix, Abel and Cecile are still living. —

William Claudia Agnes Violette 11 Jul 1892Van Buren, ME. Claudia (daughter of Belonie Violette and Marie Thibodeau) 22 May 1875 Van Buren, ME; 8 Mar 1926Van Buren, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DOB, DOM, DOD: Lippe pg 98

GIVEN NAMES: Also shown as Claudia

Notes:

DOM: Genealogies of the Catholic Families of Maine, New Brunswick, and the Province of Quebec

Notes:

Poitras: Parents of Anne Marthe.

Antoine Anne Berube. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]