BIDDEFORD — Oliva Gilles Jacques of Bucksport passed away Sunday morning, March 22, 2015, at a Bangor health care facility.
Oliva was born in Biddeford on April 19, 1930 to Oliva Amadee Jacques and Germaine (Sevigny) Jacques (Murphy).
In 1947, Oliva enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was a charter inductee of the U.S. Air Force.
Oliva married Helen Mary Dichard in Sanford on Jan. 19, 1952. Oliva and Helen moved to Bucksport in 1955, when Oliva accepted a position as a master electrician at the St. Regis Paper Co.
Throughout his life in Bucksport, Oliva and his wife Helen were actively engaged in the community, including the waterfront revitalization and Bucksport Veterans Memorial. In 1992, Oliva was the chairman and Helen was the secretary of the steering committee for the Bucksport Bicentennial.
For many years, Oliva proudly marched in numerous fourth of July and Memorial Day parades to honor the men and women of the U.S. armed forces.
Oliva was a past member of the Bucksport Town Council, past president of the IBEW 1777, past commander and chaplain of the Bucksport American Legion Post 39, a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 5756, and a past director of the Seaboard Federal Credit Union. Oliva and Helen loved traveling and visited every state except Alaska.
Oliva is preceded in death by: his loving wife, Helen Mary (Dichard) Jacques in 2002; his parents, Oliva A. Jacques in 1950, and Germaine (Sevigny) Jacques (Murphy) in 1991; his step-father, John Patrick Murphy in 1971; twin sons, Robert Oliva in 1963, and Richard Arthur in 1980; a granddaughter, Erin Lemire in 2004; and his brother, Normand Jacques Sr. in 1999.
Oliva is survived by: his daughter, Catherine Ann (Jacques) Lemire and husband Tony of Bucksport; granddaughters Anne (Lemire) Paquette and husband Aron of Portland, and Amy (Lemire) O’Conner and husband Jerry of London, England; daughter, Margaret Rose (Jacques) Polk and husband Greg of Old Town; granddaughter, Marisa Polk and partner Dan Emerson of Portland; son, Thomas Leo Jacques and wife Lynn (Baxter) Jacques of Snellville, Georgia; grandson, Scott Jacques and wife Andrea (Allen) Jacques of Atlanta; grandson, Robert Jacques and wife Elizabeth (Stewart) Jacques of Greenville, South Carolina; daughter, Dorothy Jean (Jacques) George and husband Frank of Bucksport; grandsons, Joshua George of Bucksport, and Justin George and wife Jessica (Grover) George of Prospect; sons, David John Jacques of Hampden, and Christopher Patrick Jacques and wife Susan (Grigware) Jacques of Saco; grandson, Noah Jacques; granddaughter, Molly Jacques; his sisters, Huguette (Jacques) Cote of Biddeford, and Rachel (Jacques) Leeds and husband Edward of Lynnfield, Massachusetts; sister-in-law, Aline (Laflamme) Jacques; one uncle, Donald Jacques and wife Jeanne (LeVasseur) Jacques of Sanford, who were two of Oliva and Helen’s closest lifetime friends; and great-grandchildren, Henry Roland Paquette and Maisy Erin Paquette of Portland, and Caleb Everet George of Prospect.
Visitation will be at the Mitchell-Tweedie funeral home in Bucksport, Tuesday evening, March 24, from 5-8 p.m.
The funeral service will be held at the St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Bucksport at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, with a reception following in the church hall after the Mass.
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