Joan Lauzier is Livermore’s oldest resident. She is seen with a replica of the town’s Boston Post Cane presented to her Dec. 2 at the home she has lived in most of her life. Submitted photo
LIVERMORE — Joan Lauzier, 96, was presented with a replica of the town’s Boston Post Cane on Thursday, Dec. 2.
Livermore Selectpersons Brett Deyling and Tracey Martin made the presentation.
In a phone interview Dec. 10, Lauzier said she has been living in the same house for most of her life, since she was two months old.
“I’ve been right here,” she said.
Lauzier was the next to youngest in a family of eight girls and four boys. She still has an older sister, 98 year old Noella Mercier of Auburn and her youngest sister, 89 year old Theresa Bilodeau of Livermore Falls.
“I don’t get to see them since COVID-19,” Lauzier said. “Before that we visited frequently.”
She completed schooling through the eighth grade. Her first job was at the old glove shop where she worked for 12 years. Lauzier then worked as an assistant chef at Lake Shore for 18 years.
When that closed, she went to Depot Street in Livermore Falls. She worked there with chef Olive Johnson for nine years.
As a chef, Lauzier said she did everything, whatever the chefs didn’t do.
“Soups, gravies, vegetables, salads, pies, rolls,” she said. “I liked cooking.
After that she retired.
“My husband said ‘That’s enough!'” Lauzier said.
She was married to ONeil Lauzier. They had four girls and a boy. She lost her husband in 2000 and her son two years ago. Daughter Evette Jamison lives with her.
“She lost her husband so she came home to live with me,” Lauzier said.
She continued cooking at home until just a few months ago making cake, pudding or “something.”
When ONeil was living, they grew a “really big garden.”
“Oh my, yes, I did a lot of canning,” she said. “I put up 200 to 300 quarts of stuff every fall. Evette still has beautiful flower gardens filled with perennials, all kinds. I love all flowers, especially red roses.”
Lauzier’s family was very musical. Her mother and father played instruments.
“I grew up playing guitar, accordion, banjo and piano,” she said. “We had our own little band. I liked the guitar, that was the main one I played.”
Country/Western was their type of music, Lauzier said. She listens every chance she gets to records made of her siblings.
“I kind of remember with those,” she said. “I sang. Theresa and I were the two head singers. We went to Bangor, Skowhegan, Augusta and put on shows. I would harmonize.”
Embroidery was another hobby Lauzier enjoyed.
“I made pillow cases, sheets,” she said. “I’d print the pattern, embroider, give to the kids as Christmas presents. I made a lot of doilies.”
Lauzier stays busy, as much as she can.
“I do what I can, I like to keep active,” she said.
According to a November 2007 article in the Sun Journal, John Campbell had Livermore’s 1st Boston Post Cane.
The article continued, “Livermore received its Boston Post Cane in 1909 from publisher Edwin A. Grozier. He sent more than 700 canes to New England towns to help advertise his daily newspaper. The canes were made of ebony wood from the Congo in Africa and prepared by the Fradley Co. of NYC. Each was topped with a 14-carat gold handle inscribed with the town’s name. The canes continue to advertise the Boston Post, which closed in 1957.”
Clifford Tenney was the last Livermore resident to receive the cane.
Selectpersons recently voted to purchase a replica of the cane to present to the oldest resident and display the original at the Town Office.
When asked about receiving the cane, Lauzier said she was shocked when told, and pleased.
“Oh my God! I had a hard time to accept it,” she said. “I didn’t think I was the oldest person. It’s an awful nice thing, very nice.”
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