1927 – 2015
LA MESA, Calif. — Alvira “Vi” Caron, 88, of Lewiston and La Mesa, Calif., passed away peacefully on Sunday Oct. 4.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of Antoinette Slavinski Loewer and Conrad Daniel Joseph Loewer, Vi grew up in southern California, where she met Bob Caron while he was stationed there during World War II. In 1944, they were married, and after the war, they moved to his native Lewiston to raise a family.
Vi brought her West Coast style and a love of excitement with her to Maine. She loved sharing stories and joy with family and friends wherever she went. She was an election warden in Wards 7 and 5 for more than 50 years, bringing smiles to voters every November.
A member of Holy Cross Church for more than 55 years, Vi volunteered her time at the Lewiston High School Snack Shack, the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, the Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lewiston Senior Citizens, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Auxiliary, and the Franco-American Veterans Ladies Auxiliary.
Bob and Vi spent their summers at their camp at Sebago Lake, spending long summer nights in their beloved screen house, surrounded by family. She loved to dote on her grandchildren, who filled the house on East Avenue with laughter. Some called her Memere, while others called her Meme or Mimi, but all loved the secret treats she passed along and the endless line of toys and games she would bring out. Her favorite saying was “a stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.”
As the years went by, Vi never lost her sense of adventure and thirst for excitement. Following the death of her husband, she lived with her friend and caregiver, Dianne Roy, for six years. In recent years, Vi moved back to California to spend her final years as a California girl with her daughter, Nancy, reconnecting with many members of the Loewer family.
Vi was predeceased by sisters, Eloise Lunzmann and Dolores Fannin; husband, Bob; and infant son, John.
She is survived by five children, Bob Caron Jr. of Randolph, Jim Caron and his wife, Rena, of Monmouth, Dell Gray and her husband, Wayne, of Leominster, Mass., Nancy Anderson of La Mesa, Calif., and Tom Caron and his wife, Kelley, of Framingham, Mass. She was the beloved grandmother of Denise Penzino, Rhonda Caron, Casey Deletetsky and husband, Dan, Jason Caron, Stew Anderson, Leighton Anderson, Steff Deschene, Cari Deschenes, Jack Caron and Robbie Caron; as well as five great-grandchildren.
Send questions/comments to the editors.