This brother-sister pair share a very candid, unfiltered account of life in Biddeford when faced with the untimely death of their father after what would be routine medical care today. As the eldest of 4 children, Roland went from being a kid looking up to his dad as a hero to needing to grow up fast at 8 years old. They paint a picture of growing up in Biddeford’s mill town surrounded by poverty, limited education and complicated family dynamics. Both appreciate the difficult situation their mother was faced with.

Despite countless roadblocks and expectations that “you can’t do that”, Roland’s gritty determination led to a lifelong approach of taking near impossible situations and turning them into opportunities. Lorraine also went from a life of minimal expectations and escaping an abusive marriage to pursuing an education leading to a fulfilling career.

Through hard work and determination, both turned very humble beginnings into leadership positions. Roland, the owner of a 50+ year family business and Lorraine, Vice President of Human Resources for our community’s hospital.

Roland Poirier & Lorraine Poirier Bouchard

INTERVIEW DETAILS

Date of Interview: May 28, 2026

Location: Bouchard residence, Biddeford, Maine

Interviewer: Tom Girard

Transcriber: Nicole Morin-Scribner

LINK TO INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

link to PICTURES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SELECTED INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Their mother’s challenges supporting 4 children after their father’s sudden death.
An environment replete with cultural shadows: alcoholism; separation vs divorce; being defined as “less than” due to being French and poor.
Roland: Impact of having to live at St. Louis Home boarding school and protecting his younger brother. Why he never shared what it was like with his mother. Lying about his age to find work at 14. Being a “tough kid” and why he wanted to have his mother’s name on his high school diploma.
Lorraine’s career path from mindless little jobs with no future to graduating with a masters degree the same year her daughter got her bachelors.
Roland’s tenacious career path: cook and cemetery worker to military service in Korea. Continuing his approach of “being creative” to make the impossible happen. Finding a way to go to barber school and getting a loan to start his own barbershop at 25 years old. How he dealt with the challenge of hair style changes in the 70s. Having his 17 year old daughter join as a partner. “At home, I’m Dad. At work, we are equals”
Roland-Chair of Finance at St. Mary’s Parish
Cherishing the lives they built with their spouses and children.