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Mr. Gerald J. Robichaud, formerly of Waltham, died Thursday, January 31, 2013 at Lowell
General Hospital. He was 81.
Gerry was born in St. Paul, New Brunswick, on November 23, 1931, a son of the late Premilite
and Elise (Cormier) Robichaud. He had lived in Canada before moving to
Waltham in 1955. Until his retirement Gerry worked as a plater at Light Metal Platers
on Clematis Avenue in Waltham.
His life's passion was his music. Gerry learned to play the fiddle at a young age with
the help of his mother and four other fiddlers in his immediate family. He was mentored by
Oscar Melanson, a bed-ridden fiddler who would whistle old tunes for Gerry to learn.
Gerry became immersed into the French Canadian community in Waltham and played weekends at
the French-American Victory Club for 50 years. He also played for the Remme Association
and at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
His music was greatly influenced by the
late Don Messer whose weekly radio programs were always on in the Robichaud household.
Tommy Doucet, a fiddler originally from the Maritime Provinces was a key contributor
to the development of Gerry's music.
Gerry was awarded the Massachusetts Federation Championship five times, the Northeast Regional
Contest three times as well as being a top ten fiddler at the
National Old Time Fiddlers contest in Weiser, Idaho. In addition, in 2002, Gerry
was named on the Minto (NB) Wall of Fame and in 2004 to the New Brunswick Hall
of Fame. In 2011 Gerry was recognized with a Massachusetts Country Music Award.
He leaves his beloved wife of sixty years, Geraldine P. (Richard) Robichaud; his
children, Diana Badger and her husband, David, of Brownville, Maine, Donald Robichaud and
his wife, Deborah, of Pleasant View, Tennessee, Paul Robichaud and his wife, Mary, of
Billerica, David Robichaud and his wife, Melissa, of Billerica and Sandra Brake, and
her husband, Phillip, of Westford; his grandchildren, Melissa and Kristen Curry, Robyn,
Eric and Rachel Robichaud, Keri Harbour and her husband, Robert, Elizabeth Glynn
and her husband, Thomas, Anna, Laura and Tayla Robichaud, Danielle, Jeffrey
and Jason Brake; his great-grandson, Thomas Glynn; his siblings, Robert Robichaud
and his wife, Lola, of Marlboro, Aline Belliveau of New Brunswick and Irma Drisdelle
of Connecticut and many nieces and nephews.
Gerry was also a brother of the late Aldred, Ovila, Alyre, Hervé and Emery Robichaud,
Marie Gautreau and Exelda Poirier
Family and friends will honor and remember Gerry's life by gathering for calling hours
in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, February 3rd
from 1 to 5 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession
to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham, where his Funeral Mass will be
celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Mt. Feake Cemetery, Waltham.
Memorial donation may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation, 480 Pleasant St.,
Watertown, MA 02472.
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