Henri Robert Ouellette

Henri Ouellette, 73, died Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington where he had been a patient for 16 days. He was born September 29, 1941 in Jay, Maine (also known as Chisholm). He was the son of Robert and Anna Henry Ouellette. He was educated in Jay schools. He married Molly Ouellette on February 2, 1968 in Taiwan. She passed away on October 4, 2004. He was an inventory management supervisor (supply clerk is what he called it) when he retired from the United States Air Force after 20 years of service. In addition, he retired from civil service after working at the Bangor Air National Guard Base for an additional 20 years. He worked in an office and at the commissary. He was a proud member of the Air Force Sergeants Association. Henri was a communicant of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish. Throughout his life, he was an on and off member of the Knights of Columbus. He used to bring communion to people in nursing homes. He enjoyed reading his daily morning newspaper with a couple of cups of coffee. It was the simple things in life that made him happy. He was trying to read the 100 greatest books ever written, which he said he should have read in high school. He never considered himself smart, but he was the wisest man I knew. Henri quit drinking for his daughter when she was a child. He quit smoking for her when she was an adult. They were working on exercising at the Y and arguing about eating healthier. After his wife died, he made sure there were fresh carnations (her favorite flower) next to her urn, which he kept with him. He loved her so much. He was a Red Sox fan throughout his life. He got in trouble with a nun for listening to a radio in his desk and cheering (the Red Box were playing the Yankees). He followed the San Francisco 49ers, but he would watch any football. He took a special interest in Boston College athletics during and after his daughter’s attendance at the university. He enjoyed seeing babies and introducing himself to complete strangers to get a closer look. Most people did not mind, because he had a gentle touch. He was great with kids. Henri was someone who could go up to anyone and start a conversation. Molly was the one who reeled them in. Over the years, he got used to the greeting, “Where’s Molly?” They were a great team. He would have done anything for her. He was a father who provided guidance and comfort. He knew when to step in and when to take a step back. It hurt him to watch his daughter suffer at times, but he knew that was how she would grow. He had strength and courage. He was always there for hugs, kisses, and laughs. I was Daddy’s little girl, and I went everywhere with him. Although Henri was not on the frontlines in the Vietnam War, he had seen his share. He had been shot at in a helicopter. He slept through a bomb exploding down the street. He volunteered to gather bodies and body parts of soldiers who had died. Not a fun job that anyone would want to do. He was a fighter for the underdog. It could be family, friends, or co-workers. He would put his neck on the line for you, if he thought you were being treated unfairly. There was a story of a woman in Taiwan who would not get promoted because of her ethnicity. Henri made sure that she did and was recognized for all that she did above and beyond her duties. Throughout his life, he antagonized people to get a laugh. He was a troublemaker although not malicious, as he pointed out. He liked to say he was mischievous. He just wanted to see people’s reactions. Sometimes they had “no sense of humor.” Henri’s favorite places were Taiwan and Cape Cod. He met Molly in Taiwan, and they got married there. As newlyweds, they lived in Cape Cod. They would go to Riverside Park and have the biggest and juiciest corn there. They drove VW bugs into Boston to see Red Sox games. They did not have a lot of money at the time, but they were happy. How do you summarize a man’s life in words? You cannot. If you want to hear stories, give his daughter a call. I have heard them over and over and over again, and I am willing to share. Just know that he was a great man who loved his wife and his daughter very much. And we loved him. Henri is survived by one daughter, Michelle Ouellette-Clifford of Tacoma, Washington; one stepdaughter, Pauline Barone of Riverside, California; one sister, Sister Rose Anna Ouellette of Waterville, Maine; and two brothers, Jean Louis “Jello” Ouellette of Jay, Maine and Daniel Ouellette of Manchester, Maine. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2015 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish (7112 South 12th Street, Tacoma, WA).