Arthur Turcotte

OBITUARY: (TAUNTON) Artist, and retired Massachusetts State Police Lieutenant, Arthur L. Turcotte, 87, passed away on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, after a brief illness. Born in Fall River, the son of the late Alfred H. and Lillian (Bergeron) Turcotte. He grew up in Fall River and graduated from Monsignor James Coyle High School, in Taunton, in 1946. Upon graduation he enlisted in the United States Navy and served on a liberty ship in Tsingtao, China, as the ship's photographer. After his tour of duty in the Navy, he attended the New Haven CT School of Photography. Shortly thereafter he became a patrolman with Fall River Police Department. In 1953 he graduated from the Massachusetts State Police Academy, as a State Trooper, and was assigned to the photo and fingerprint lab at the Middleboro barracks. During his tenure on the force he graduated from Stonehill College with a degree in Criminology. He retired in 1978. After his retirement, he worked for the B & H Auto Supply in Middleboro and pursued his passion to become an accomplished artist. He belonged to the Middleboro and Taunton Art Associations, the Bierstadt Society of New Bedford, and the Naples Art Association in Florida. He studied with many local accomplished artists and attended many workshops from Connecticut to Nova Scotia, Canada. He has received many awards for his art work from various art shows over the years he has been painting. His real accomplishment has been as the art instructor at the Middleboro Council on Aging for the last 30 years. He has served on the board of directors for the Middleboro Council on Aging and the Middleboro Services to the Elderly. He was also a member of the Middleboro V.F.W. Post #2188 and the American Legion Post #64. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Laurette Y. (Giroux) Turcotte; his children, Alfred H. and his wife, the late, Paula A. Turcotte, of Brockton, the late, Richard L. Turcotte; Gary J. and his wife Deborah Turcotte, of Middleboro, Janet E. and her husband Shaun O'Connor, of Olde Towne, ME, and Arleen M. and her husband Nigel Redwood, of Naples, FL; 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, two sisters, Lois and her husband, the late, Daniel Eagan, of Fall River, Elaine and her late husband Robert Dupont, of North Dartmouth. Visiting hours will be held on Monday, August 22nd from 2-4 & 6-8 pm in the Ashley Funeral Home, 35 Oak St. Middleboro. Funeral services will be held from the funeral home on Tuesday, August 23rd at 9 am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Church, 340 Centre St. Middleboro at 10 am. Burial with Military Honors will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Middleboro.