LEWISTON — It’s not every day you get six generations of a family in one room, but that’s just what Irene Chouinard got as part of her 103rd birthday celebration.

“If this is a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up,” she said at a gathering Sunday at Montello Manor, where she lives.

With six children, 25 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, 38 great-great-grandchildren and one great-great-great-grandson, there’s a lot of love to go around.

Not every family member attended the gathering. Still, there were nearly 100 there, all family by blood or marriage.

“I have such a big family, I can’t get over it,” Irene said, whose birthday was the following day.

Granddaughter Tina Longchamps said she was happy to see so many family members together.

The activity room was buzzing with those wishing the matriarch a “happy birthday” and giving her a kiss on the cheek. 

“This family is a very loving family. We’re very close,” grandson Gerry Bosse said. “It helped that we grew up in the same neighborhood.”

Arthur Chouinard, Irene’s husband, owned a masonry business and built a house on Fair Street in Lewiston, where the couple raised six children: Norman, Wilfred, Irene, Camilla, Robert and Claire. 

The couple also owned land on Stetson Road; they gave three of their children land there and Arthur helped them build homes.

He passed away in 1989.

Ann Bosse, Gerry’s sister, recalled that when they were children, memere and pepere would baby-sit. “We’d have to line up by age to get ready for bed,” she said.

All of Irene and Arthur’s children had children of their own, numbering between one and seven children each.

“When (Irene) started getting dementia, she said her worst fear was forgetting her grandkids,” said Ann.

Tina recalled holidays past, with large family gatherings and meals. Ann said on Halloween they would stop at Irene’s house for almost half an hour for trick-or-treating because she had good candy.

Tina said if there’s one thing to know about her grandmother it’s that she loves her family.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated, reflecting new and corrected information. 

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Irene Chouinard reacts while enjoying a gathering for her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday. “I made a family and I showed them love, that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. 

Irene Chouinard poses for a photo with her family during a gathering for her 103rd birthday at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday. “I made a family and I showed them love, that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. 

Irene Chouinard gazes at her great-great-great-grandson, Weston Fish, 4 months old, of Lewiston while celebrating her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday. 

Irene Chouinard kisses her great-great-granddaughter Caidence Stevens, 7, of Greene, while celebrating her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday.

Irene Chouinard poses with her children while celebrating her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday. They are Robert, Wilfred and Norman Chouinard, and Camilla Bosse, Claire Chouinard and Irene Therrien.

Irene Chouinard poses with family members while celebrating her 103rd birthday at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday.

Irene Chouinard reacts while celebrating her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday.

Irene Chouinard poses with her family while celebrating her 103rd birthday at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday.

Irene Chouinard reaches for the hands of her great-granddaughter Rudi Therrien, 2 months old, of Turner, while celebrating her 103rd birthday with family at Montello Manor in Lewiston on Sunday.