WOONSOCKET- Deacon Thomas J. Bouchard, 79, died July 24 at Landmark Medical Center. He was the husband of Jeanne M. (Moreau) Bouchard.
Born in Esmond, he was the son of the late Joseph and Eva (Dufresne) Bouchard. He lived in Woonsocket for most of his life.?
Deacon Bouchard began his teaching career at the former St. Edward School in Providence, and was a teacher at Mt. St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket and at Burrillville High School before retiring in 1990 at the age of 58. Prior to his teaching career, he was a social worker for the State of Rhode Island for three years.
He was a member of the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean Conflict. In 1976, he was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Providence and was a member of the first class of ordained permanent deacons. He was also an active member of St. Joseph Church, where he served as deacon from 1976 to 2006. He also ministered to the VNS of Greater Woonsocket as a hospice chaplain for ten years, as well as at Tri-Hab and at Zambarano Hospital in Burrillville. He was also a member of Hamilton House.
He attended La Salle Academy, Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick and received a master's degree in arts and teaching from Rhode Island College in 1968.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Thomas Bouchard of Woonsocket; two daughters, Michelle and her husband Donald Lamoureux of Cumberland and Danielle Provoyeur and her husband Arthur of Cocoa Beach, Fla.; and several grandchildren.
He was the brother of the late Norman Bouchard.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated July 28 in St. Joseph Church, Woonsocket. Burial was in Resurrection Cemetery, Cumberland.
