Jeanne Valiquette Fortin
Jeanne Valiquette Fortin, widow of Dr. Wilfrid L. Fortin, went to heaven on July 5, 2024. Jeanne was born in Nashua NH on September 20, 1938, the only child of Jean Baptiste Valiquette and Blanche Maranda Valiquette.
Jeanne was a graduate of St. Louis de Gonzague High School class of 1955 and Rivier University class of 1959 with a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and piano. She accompanied the Rivier College Glee Club and performed at many recitals. During her student years at St. Louis High, she was the accompanist for the Glee Club and during her student years at Rivier College she was the accompanist for the Rivier Glee Club. She was a member of the St. Louis de Gonzague church choir and the Nashua Choral Society. As a member of the Nashua Symphony, she played second flute. She went on to graduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and studied piano with the famous pianist Menahem Pressler of the Beaux Arts trio.
When Jeanne returned to Nashua she taught elementary school music and band in Claremont NH and was music supervisor of Junior High School music in Manchester NH. During this time, she also worked at St. Joseph Hospital weekends and met her future husband Dr. Wilfrid Fortin. She married ‘Willy,’ the love of her life, on April 11, 1966. After her marriage, she managed her husband’s medical office: St. Joseph Anesthesia Associates. She and her husband shared a love of classical music, opera and traveling. While they traveled to medical conventions, they heard the Metropolitan Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, New Orleans Philharmonic, San Francisco Orchestra, and Puerto Rico Symphony. Together they loved to vacation in Florida and the islands.
She was very involved with her children’s activities and attended basketball games for the St. Joseph CYO, cheerleading for the basketball team at Presentation of Mary Academy and color guard for Nashua High. She was a volunteer driver for the children’s field trips. A lover of the arts, she enrolled her children in art, piano, guitar, violin and flute lessons. However, her children were far more interested in sports than the arts. She was a tutor at Fairgrounds Elementary School, Presentation of Mary Academy and Nashua Catholic Schools, playing the piano for school activities and the organ for masses. Jeanne and her husband were eucharistic ministers at St. Joseph Hospital. In her spare time she volunteered to transport many friends and neighbors for doctor appointments and to hospitals for care in the Nashua, Manchester and Boston areas.
She loved family genealogy and hosted many family get togethers. The largest gathering of the Fortin clan included 198 guests. Families came from: Canada, Florida, California and the New England states.
Jeanne is survived by her 3 children: Celine and her husband John Heintz of Nashua NH; David and his wife Christine of Hudson NH; Elise and her husband Ronald Simoneau of Nashua NH. Grandchildren: Kara and Kendall Heintz of Nashua NH; Harris, Hannah and Samuel Fortin of Hudson NH; Benoît and Adelyn Fortin Simoneau of Nashua NH.
~Our mom wrote her own obituary; the above were her words and the things she wanted people to know about her. What could never be described in words is the tremendous loss felt by those closest to her. We are thankful for her endless love in our lives, which then circled back to her during her decline. We are grateful for everyone who helped care for her. We cherish the time we had with her and will miss her eternally.
~Elise, David, and Celine Fortin
Following cremation, visiting hours were held on Tuesday, July 9th from 4pm ~ 6pm in the Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home, 50 Ferry Street in Hudson. A Mass of Christian Burial took place on Wednesday, July 10th at 10am in St. Joseph the Worker Church, 777 West Hollis Street in Nashua. Burial was in St. Louis Cemetery in Nashua. In lieu pf lowers the family encourages donations be made in Jeanne’s loving memory to either: NH Catholic Charities at www.cc-nh.org or Amedisys Hospice at www.amedisys.com To share an online message of condolence, please visit www.dumontsullivan.com The Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home in Hudson was in charge of arrangements.