Gertrude C. (Ethier) Bouvier

Tiverton, RI - Gertrude Cecile (Ethier) Bouvier, 95, formerly of Lincoln, died Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at St. Anne Hospital, Fall River. She was the wife of the late George H. Poirier and William O. Bouvier.

Born in Woonsocket, a daughter of Romuald Ethier and Florence Lavalee Ethier, she lived in Cumberland and Lincoln for many years, before moving to Tiverton eight years ago.

Nicknamed “Gert” she worked at Woonsocket Hospital and later for the State of Rhode Island, Department of Employment Security, before retiring in 1987. She enjoyed many years of traveling, spending time with her family and friends, staying informed on politics, and loving as much time as she could spend by the ocean.

She served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Joan of Arc, St. Ambrose and Landmark Medical Center and she belonged to the Women’s Guild at St. Ambrose. Her profound Catholic faith continued to be her guide and strength through life.

She lives on in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. No amount of time with this astonishing “Mimi” would be enough for her family and friends. We simply loved her!

Her children will cherish her fun-loving, kind, and cheerful disposition, along with her elegant style. She adored her children and found happiness in making crepes on Sunday mornings, enjoying beach days on Cape Cod and Rhode Island, leaving love notes under our pillows, baking her famous pies, simmering her spaghetti sauce for hours, and using her red lipstick to adorn our bedroom mirrors with Valentine poems, hearts, and kisses.

Her grandchildren will cherish memories of her cool batman patent leather loafers, the smell of her Estee Lauder make-up, along with her beautiful strands of pearls.  And, of course, strolling on the beaches in their stunning new bathing suits or opening their specially wrapped gift on Christmas morning.  She lived every day the best she could. Life gives us all hills and valleys to endure and she greeted each day with grace and dignity, believing that we only have today.

She is survived by her three daughters; Patrice Coleman of Tiverton, RI, Melanie Ladd of York, ME, Maryse Poirier of Jamestown, RI; four sons, George Poirier of McDonough, GA, Dennis Poirier of San Diego, CA, Kenneth Porier of Bloomington IL and Peter Porier of Tiverton, RI; two sisters, Coleen Touchette of Cumberland, RI and Charlotte Messier of Uxbridge, MA; sixteen grandchildren; and twenty-two great grandchildren. She was the mother of the late Ronald Poirier and Marc Poirier; and the sister of the late Roger Ethier; she cherished time with her best friend, Muriel St. Martin of Lincoln, RI.

Our mother’s final life message would be to take time to sit by the fire, laugh, save time for fun, listen, and most of all, love with all your heart.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in St Ambrose Church, 191 School Street, Albion, RI.  Burial will follow in Precious Blood Cemetery, Woonsocket. Relatives and friends are invited.  Visiting hours are respectfully omitted. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38501 would be appreciated. For directions to the guest book, please visit www.bellowsfuneralchapel.com.  Arrangements with Bellows Funeral Chapel, 160 River Road, Lincoln.

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