Yvette “Vet” Michaud

SACO – Yvette “Vet” Michaud, 96, passed away in her sleep on Sept. 23, 2024, at the Inn at Atlantic Heights. She was born in Eagle Lake on Oct. 17, 1927, the youngest of four daughters to parents, Ludger and Mattie (Brown) Michaud.

For many of us, Vet was the family historian. She was the go-to member of the family to get names, dates, addresses, family lore or anything else the rest of us couldn’t remember or never knew. She shared with us many of her memories as a young girl growing up in Northern Maine. One of those memories was when she first went off to school. The school bus that transported her and her older sisters to school was a large horse drawn wagon. During the winter months, the wagon turned into a large horse drawn sleigh. The sleigh was covered and had a small wood stove to keep the students warm on their journey to and from school. She enjoyed the privilege of being one of the youngest kids because they were able to sit closest to the warmth of the wood stove, something she would taunt her older siblings with.

When she was preparing to enter high school in 1941, her older sister, Loretta, invited her to come and live with her and her young family outside Boston. She could attend high school while helping her sister raise young Harry while husband Harold was off at war in the Navy. Vet would graduate from Hyde Park High four years later in 1945. She took her first job after high school with John Hancock Insurance Co. and would stay with the company until her retirement in 1980. Most of that time was spent working in the west coast offices of John Hancock outside San Francisco. Upon retirement, she returned to Maine to live near her two older sisters in Old Orchard Beach. She would stay in Old Orchard until her move to Atlantic Heights in 2022.

She was always generous with her grandnieces and nephews, especially on birthdays, despite her modest income. One of her talents that was always in demand, especially at family gatherings, was her baking skills. Homemade cookies and chocolates, in all shapes and sizes, were always a big favorite. Auntie Vet never married but was always surrounded by her niece and nephews and a constantly growing number of grandnieces and nephews. We were so happy to have her. She will be fondly remembered and missed by all.

She was predeceased by her sisters Bernadette “Bunny” Egan Bolduc, Loretta Shaw, Thelma Michaud; and nephews Jim Egan and Mike Shaw.

She is survived by nephews Harold Shaw of Hingham, Mass., Fred Egan and wife Jane of York Harbor, Tom Egan and his wife Jackie of Saco, Don Egan and his wife Robyn of Windham, and niece, Lori Saltz and husband Barry of Scarborough; and many grandnieces and nephews.

The family is very grateful to the attentive and caring support Vet received from the staff at the Inn at Atlantic Heights and the compassionate hospice staff at Compassus in her final days.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 at St Margarets Church in Old Orchard Beach. She will be interred next to her sister, Thelma Michaud, at Laurel Hill Cemetery following the service. She is under the care of Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main St., Saco.