Gerald J. Robichaud

Lowell – Mr. Gerald J. Robichaud, formerly of Waltham, died Thursday, January 31, 2013 at Lowell General Hospital. He was 81.

Gerry was born in St. Paul, New Brunswick, on November 23, 1931, a son of the late Premilite and Elise (Cormier) Robichaud. He had lived in Canada before moving to Waltham in 1955. Until his retirement Gerry worked as a plater at Light Metal Platers on Clematis Avenue in Waltham.

His life's passion was his music. Gerry learned to play the fiddle at a young age with the help of his mother and four other fiddlers in his immediate family. He was mentored by Oscar Melanson, a bed-ridden fiddler who would whistle old tunes for Gerry to learn. Gerry became immersed into the French Canadian community in Waltham and played weekends at the French-American Victory Club for 50 years. He also played for the Remme Association and at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. His music was greatly influenced by the late Don Messer whose weekly radio programs were always on in the Robichaud household. Tommy Doucet, a fiddler originally from the Maritime Provinces was a key contributor to the development of Gerry's music.

Gerry was awarded the Massachusetts Federation Championship five times, the Northeast Regional Contest three times as well as being a top ten fiddler at the National Old Time Fiddlers contest in Weiser, Idaho. In addition, in 2002, Gerry was named on the Minto (NB) Wall of Fame and in 2004 to the New Brunswick Hall of Fame. In 2011 Gerry was recognized with a Massachusetts Country Music Award.

He leaves his beloved wife of sixty years, Geraldine P. (Richard) Robichaud; his children, Diana Badger and her husband, David, of Brownville, Maine, Donald Robichaud and his wife, Deborah, of Pleasant View, Tennessee, Paul Robichaud and his wife, Mary, of Billerica, David Robichaud and his wife, Melissa, of Billerica and Sandra Brake, and her husband, Phillip, of Westford; his grandchildren, Melissa and Kristen Curry, Robyn, Eric and Rachel Robichaud, Keri Harbour and her husband, Robert, Elizabeth Glynn and her husband, Thomas, Anna, Laura and Tayla Robichaud, Danielle, Jeffrey and Jason Brake; his great-grandson, Thomas Glynn; his siblings, Robert Robichaud and his wife, Lola, of Marlboro, Aline Belliveau of New Brunswick and Irma Drisdelle of Connecticut and many nieces and nephews.

Gerry was also a brother of the late Aldred, Ovila, Alyre, Hervé and Emery Robichaud, Marie Gautreau and Exelda Poirier

Family and friends will honor and remember Gerry's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, February 3rd from 1 to 5 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham, where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Mt. Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donation may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 02472.