Lincoln – William F. Gagne, 100, of Great Road, died Monday, February 5, 2018, at home, surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of the late Bertha (Szeliga) Gagne.
Born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, a son of the late Napoleon and Lena (LaBlanc) Gagne, he had lived in Lincoln since 1939.
At the age of 15, following the unexpected death of his father, Mr. Gagne went to work at Bill’s Auto Parts to help support the family, eventually retiring as General Manager, a position he held for fifty years.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in the Horse Cavalry until it was decommissioned. He then volunteered for the 809th Army Air Corps Combat Engineers as part of General Patton’s 3rd Army, serving in the Mediterranean, taking part in the amphibious invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Southern Italy, Central Italy and Southern France. For his service to his country, he was honored as the Grand Marshall of the 2017 Lincoln Memorial Day Parade.
He was an avid motorcyclist, a member of the Lincoln Senior Center, and a communicant of Saint Jude Church, Lincoln.
He is survived by one son, Robert L. Gagne of Lincoln; two grandchildren, William Gagne and Kristen Gilbert; and two great granddaughters, Charlotte Gilbert and Lucy Gilbert. He was the brother of the late Isabelle Singdale, Rose Byron, Blanche Barclay, Lenore Lawrence, Pauline Gagne, Albert Gagne, Eugene Gagne, and Paul Gagne.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in Saint Jude Church, 301 Front Street, Lincoln. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours are respectfully omitted. Private burial will take place in Resurrection Cemetery, Cumberland. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675 would be appreciated. Arrangements with Bellows Funeral Chapel, 160 River Road, Lincoln.
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