Theresa “Teri” M. Ouellette

LEWISTON – Theresa “Teri” M. Ouellette of Lewiston, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, with family by her side.

She was born on Feb. 1, 1932, on the family homestead in Van Buren. She was the eighth of 10 children born to Fred and Alice Morin. The family moved to Lewiston when Theresa was just a child and she attended St. Peter’s School and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1950.

It was at Lewiston High where she met the love of her life, Roger Ouellette. They were married in 1953 and raised four children on College Road in Lewiston and also spent many happy summers at the family camp on Sabattus Pond.

Theresa enjoyed many hobbies including sewing, floral arranging, knitting and cake decorating. She turned one hobby, ceramics, into her family business first out of her home then moving it into Northwood Park Shopping Center (Mardens) where she held classes for 15 years, teaching hundreds of area women, weekly. When they sold Teri’s Ceramic, she and Roger moved next door with their new business, opening Northwood Park Laundromat which they ran successfully for 10 years.

She became president of the Maine Ceramic Guild and won numerous local and national awards for her craftsmanship and teaching. After retirement she started volunteering her time at St. Mary’s Hospital and also for many years at the Dempsey Center helping to sew anything that was needed for patient care. She was a member of the Red Hat Society and instrumental in their annual Christmas toy drive at the Auburn Mall.

She and Roger loved to travel, visiting Canada and Florida often and Hawaii on their 25th anniversary. She saw to it that Julys at Old Orchard Beach became a yearly tradition with camp always full of family and friends.

She is survived by her sons Steve (Diane) Ouellette and Bruce (Karen) Ouellette, son-in-law, Steve Lebel; grandchildren, Thomas (Sueanne) Ouellette, Patrick Ouellette and partner Meghanne Nadeau, Grace (Patrick) Frost, Scott (Sara) Ouellette, Joel Lebel, Dylan (Whitney) Lebel; and great-grandchild, Weston Lebel.

Theresa was predeceased by her husband, Roger Ouellette; son, Thomas Ouellette and daughter, Karen Lebel; also her brothers Roy, Omer, Guy, Patrick and Ralph Morin and sisters Bernice, Esther, Viola and Mona.

The family would like to thank the Russell Park Manor staff for their kindness and compassion.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m., at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul Upper Church. Committal services will then follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m., at The Fortin Group Funeral Home, 217 Turner St. in Auburn, 783-8545. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at http://www.thefortingroupauburn.com.