Maurice Raymond Rancourt's Obituary
Maurice Raymond Rancourt passed on January 11, 2023, in Gainesville, FL. Known by all as “Moe”, he was born April 28, 1932, in Meriden, Connecticut, where he attended St. Laurents Catholic Schools and was the third child of Filien and Olivine Rancourt who had emigrated from Quebec, Canada. He married Barbara Gurtowski in 1954 with whom he had three children: Ray, Ellen, and Wendy. He and his family, including his mother-in-law affectionately called “Nana” by everyone, moved to Largo, FL in 1972. He became a long-haul trucker at that time and was on the road a great deal. In later years he shared many funny stories, with his family and friends, of his time on the road and the many fascinating people he met. In 1977 the family moved to Tampa, FL and he and Barbara were divorced. In February 1979 he married Theodora “Teddy” Theobald Somers, a former neighbor in Largo, FL and they resided in Largo with Teddy’s three children from a previous marriage, Mary, Amy, and Willie. He stopped long-haul trucking and drove locally for Alterman Trucking. In 1983, following the death of Teddy’s son Willie, they moved to Chiefland, FL where Moe worked as a lumber yard foreman for Gilchrist Building Supply until he retired in 1989.
In Chiefland Moe was active in the Chiefland Lions Club, The Friends of Luther Callaway Library, Tri-County Outreach, and attended the First United Methodist Church of Chiefland. Moe and Teddy moved to Gainesville in 1997 and found an immediate home at Kanapaha Presbyterian Church. He spent hours folding bulletins and helping in the office where Teddy was Secretary and serving for many years on the Buildings and Grounds Committee where he and Teddy were the “unofficial caretakers” of the Kanapaha Church Cemetery donating hard labor and funds to the improvement of the cemetery. Since residing in Gainesville, Moe was a volunteer at North Florida Regional Medical Center driving the golf cart for patients and families; an avid follower of NFRMC’s Coed softball team the “NorthStars”; and a huge Gator Baseball Fan spending many beautiful afternoons at the games with Teddy. He was a former member of the Gator Dugout Club and the Tip Off Club and a contributor to the Gainesville Community Playhouse. He had been an avid reader, sometimes reading four (4) books a week, and continued to do jigsaw puzzles for hours on end and you would always find a puzzle in progress on his dining table when you visited him. He took much pleasure in spoiling the dogs and horses at the farm in Newberry where he lived the past two years. He was a permanent fixture each morning at The Mill Bakery having breakfast with his friends and sheriff officers.
He was married to Teddy for 36 years and they enjoyed traveling all over the world either in their RVs or cruising from Russia to New Zealand to Greece, to the Holy Land, and other interesting ports of call, but could never wait to get home to his beloved dogs and family. He had a very special relationship with his brother, Gaston “Gus”. He was first and foremost a wonderful brother, a loving and caring father/stepfather, grandfather, and a devoted husband.
Maurice was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Claire Hill, his brother Gus Rancourt, his wife Teddy Rancourt, and his stepson William Somers. He is survived by his sister Estelle Hill, Cape Cod, MA, as well as his children Ellen (Joe) Gloff, Chiefland FL, Raymond Rancourt, Medford, NY, Wendy (James) Turner, Greer, SC, step-children Mary Thomson, Newberry, FL and Amy Thomson, Gardner, CO and all his grandchildren: Jennifer (TJ) Johnson, Michele (Tim) Wood, Evan, and Alexis Turner and step-grandchild Will Thomson; great-grandchildren- Cameron Martin and Allie Johnson; and great-great-grandchildren: Mason and McKenlee Johnson-Horne and Eleanor Johnson.
The family will receive friends at the Williams-Thomas Funeral Home Westarea, 823 NW 143rd Street on Friday, January 20, 2023, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 21st at 11:00 am at the Kanapaha Presbyterian Church, 6221 SW 75th Street, Gainesville. There will be a reception following the service in the church Memorial Hall. Moe will be interned with his wife at the First United Methodist Church Cemetery in Chiefland, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haven Hospice, 4200 NW 90th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32606.
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