CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Raymond Arthur Vachereau, 87, of Clarksburg, Mass., died Friday September 7, 2018, at Berkshire Medical Center.

He was born in Burlington, Vt., on June 22, 1931, son of Alexandre and Bernadette (Melancon) Vachereau. He moved to North Adams at a young age and attended the Holy Family School. Raymond served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict.

He worked many jobs during his lifetime (usually more than one at a time), including Sprague Electric, the Massachusetts Highway Department, the North Adams Transcript and various local coffee shops, to name a few. In 2011, he retired from the Massachusetts Highway Department as Traffic Foreman after 50 years of service. In the past year, he served as the custodian at the Clarksburg Public Library.  Each year, he looked forward to his work with the Williams College Alumni Reunion weekend as the Steward for all Old Guard classes.

Raymond was a daily communicant of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. He was the commander of Clarksburg VFW Post #9144 and a member of the Williamstown American Legion. Ray was also a member of the Stamford Seniors and organized the Elks Monday Night Cribbage League.

His first wife was Ruth (Cummings) Vachereau, whom he married in 1957. After her death, he was lucky to meet and marry Arlene Cimonetti in 1997.

Besides his wife, he leaves two sons, Robert Vachereau and his partner, Terry Michaels, and David Vachereau and his wife, Laurie (Kordana), both of North Adams; two daughters, Susan and husband, Mark Candiloro, of North Adams and Patricia and husband, Kevin Hassett, of Springfield, Mass.; five grandchildren, including Ashley and Kevin Hassett, Matthew Vachereau, and Katie and Alexander Candiloro; two brothers, including Jimmy (Ann) Vachereau of Jacksonville, Fla., and Andrew (Eleanor) Vachereau of Ocala, Fla.; three sisters, his Goddaughter Marguerite (Peter) Killeen of Wilbraham, Mass., Pauline (Richard) Muse of North Las Vegas, Nev., and Aline (Walter) Dougherty of Helotes, Texas; and many nieces and nephews.  

He was predeceased by his brother, Nelson; and two sisters, Sister Yolanda Vachereau SSA, and Sister Paulita Vachereau SSA.

Funeral notice: A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Raymond Vachereau will be celebrated Wednesday, September 12, 2018, at 11 a.m. at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery.  

A calling hour at the church will be Wednesday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. Elizabeth of Hungary in care of Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, Central Chapel, 74 Marshall St. North Adams, MA 01247.