Dolores Marie (Trudel) Jodoin

Dolores Marie (Trudel) Jodoin was born to Louis and Margaret (Daley) Trudel of Lowell, MA in 1935, the seventh of eight children. She grew up in Lowell and graduated from Lowell High School. She met the love of her life, Arthur Jodoin, at the “Polish Club” in 1959 and they were married in 1960. They recently celebrated their 54th anniversary. Above all else, Dolores loved being Arthur’s partner and the mother of four daughters – Michelle, Susan, Karen and Denise. She also adored being grandmother to ten grandchildren. Arthur’s work as a textile engineer and plant manger brought them to many locations and so they made homes in Andover, MA; Dublin, GA; Augusta, ME; Winthrop, ME; Dexter, ME, and Poland, ME. They recently moved to Ocoee, FL to be closer to daughter Sue as Dolores’ health declined.

 Dolores loved to be with her family. She and Arthur enjoyed traveling the world and visiting places like Brazil, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica. She even journeyed to China for the adoption of her granddaughter, Kia. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t try and she could be spotted doing anything from chopping wood to riding a zip line in the rain forest. She had a mischievous side and loved to give people “the business” and play practical jokes. An early fitness and health enthusiast, she was an avid walker and exerciser dating back to the Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons days. She loved the ocean and collecting shells and sea glass and digging for clams. Her Maine grandchildren remember fondly getting picked up from daycare by Mimi in her red sports car. Never one to be predictable, she loved to “keep everyone guessing” and to be creative. She sewed all her children’s clothes when they were young and also enjoyed hooking rugs, ceramics, gardening, pickling and baking.  

Dolores had great intuition and an uncanny ability to figure people out quickly. She had a big heart and enjoyed working as a nurse’s aide in several nursing homes and hospitals caring for the elderly and terminally ill. Unfortunately, all her good habits could not stay the run of bad luck she experienced, and her health steadily declined. Her loving husband Arthur was her full time caregiver for the last eight years and he took extraordinarily good care of her until her death on May 21st in her home surrounded by family. She lived as she died, showing grit, grace and strength. Her legacy of hard work, determination, compassion and fun will live on in her children and grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her sisters Helen Priske, Regina Connors , Dorothy Harrison, Lorraine Sullivan, and her brother Raymond Trudel. She is survived by her devoted husband Arthur, her daughter Susan Lawler and her husband Tom and children Kia, Erik and Kyle; her daughter Michelle LaFond and her husband Peter and children Elyse, Emily and Michael; her daughter Denise Gaidis and her husband Mike and children Erin and Alex and her daughter Karen Jodoin and her partner Betsy Dinger and children Jack and Matthew. She is also survived by her sister Joan Donnelly and her husband Robert of Dracut and her brother Adelard “Tub” Trudel and his wife Germaine of Lowell, and many nieces and nephews.

The family will have a private burial and lay her to rest in her favorite spot in Poland, Maine looking across Tripp Lake and Mount Washington

The family would like to thank Hospice of the Comforter for helping them to keep Dolores comfortable and in her home in her final days. In lieu of flowers, feel free to contribute in her memory to Hospice of the Comforter Foundation, 496 W. Central Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714