Our beloved mum Marlene Louise (Heileman) Gagne died March 18, 2023 at the age of 90, of Alzheimer’s disease, with family by her side.
She was born on Sept 5, 1932 in Dover, NH, the daughter of Robert and Antoinette (Dagenais) Heileman, and moved to Nashua as a child. She graduated from St. Louis de Gonzague high school and planned to go to college to become a teacher, but that was not to be.
She married Roland Gagne in 1954 and was a stay-at-home mum to four children. Marlene and Ro introduced them to the joy of summer vacations at Lake Winnipesaukee and family camping travel adventures, including to Prince Edward Island — a favorite place, as she re-read Anne of Green Gables each year. She loved her family fiercely and unconditionally, and raised her children to practice kindness and compassion for others, no matter one’s station in life.
Marlene didn’t start driving until she was in her late 40s. Instead, she was a regular bicyclist and walker, and her face was a familiar daily sight in the neighborhood. For many years she was a teacher’s aide, working with Special Needs children in the Nashua school system. After her retirement she volunteered for several years in the Day Away program for adults with dementia at St. John Neumann church in Merrimack. In later life she was on the receiving end of their joyful care.
She enjoyed the fellowship of her dear friends, and always had a kind word and smile for those she met on her daily visits to the grocery store.
Survivors include her children: Douglas Gagne and his wife Kathy of Nashua; Kimberly Seavey and her partner Ken Woodbury of York, Maine; Kristina Gagne and her partner Peter Stephan of Longmeadow, Massachusetts; and Gregory Gagne along with his wife Patrice Duvernay of Salt Lake City, Utah. She is also survived by her grandchildren Nathan Gagne and his wife Rebecca of Hollis, New Hampshire, Emily Ekis and her husband Nathan of Milford, New Hampshire, Andrew Gagne of Nashua; Ryan Seavey of Dover, New Hampshire; Ben Gagne-Maynard of Nashville, Tennessee; Will Gagne-Maynard of Seattle, Washington; and Sasha Gagne and Jay Gagne of Salt Lake City. Great-grandchildren include Liam Gagne of Hollis and Sydney and Arlo Ekis of Milford. She also leaves many cherished lifelong friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her brother Robert Jon “Sonny” Heileman.
Our family is grateful to the kind and supportive staff at The Inn at Deerfield, and Villa Crest in Manchester for their care, which eased our mother’s journey through dementia.
At mum’s request, services will be private. Burial will take place at St. Patrick Cemetery in Hudson on Saturday, March 25, 2023. If you would like to honor her life, please consider a donation “in memory of Marlene Gagne” ) to Day Away (708 Milford Rd., Merrimack, NH 03054) or to The Front Door Agency, 7 Concord St., Nashua, NH 03064), or another charity of your choice. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.farwellfuneralservice.com Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE, 18 Lock Street, Nashua.
