Remembering the Roots of Our St. Francis Community

Born and raised in Sanford, Maine, Richard L’Heureux graduated in 1955, from Saint Francis High School, at the time, when it was a boarding school for young Franco-American boys.  His formative years were enriched with an appreciation for academic achievements as he developed at Saint Francis. He attributes his professional success to the strong academic leadership and strict discipline provided by the Franciscan priests who were teachers, mentors and coaches for the students.  In 1955, as a senior, he was coached by his English lay teacher, Mr. Ernest Therrien, to compete in the All State Public Speaking competition, at the University of Maine in Orono, when he recited dramatic excerpts from “Nickolas Nickleby”, by Charles Dickens.  He won first prize. While serving with the United States Navy, after graduating from high school, he met his wife Juliana while  serving on recruiting duty in Baltimore, Maryland.  After a 23 year successful Navy career, including two tours to Vietnam with the Seabees (MCB71 in Chu Lai) and on the USS Intrepid (CVS11),  they moved to Sanford where their two sons, Roger and Paul, graduated from Sanford High School. 

Meanwhile, Juliana received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Southern Maine.  While pursuing a nursing career, she was a freelance writer and reporter when she was asked to write about Maine’s Franco-Americans for the Portland Press Herald.  For the past 35 years, Juliana has written consistently about the Franco-Americans in York County, as well as those who live throughout Maine including the northern Maine Acadians and the Francos who live in other New England states. She has published essays in “Voyages: A Franco-American Reader”, edited by Nelson Madore; and in multiple anthologies published by Goose River Press, edited by Deborah Benner.  In 2018, she was inducted into the Franco-American Hall of Fame by the Maine Legislature. Her podcast interviews can be heard on French-Canadian Legacy with Jesse Martineau and Maple Stars and Stripes: A French-Canadian Genealogy.  Her Franco-American blog is published by the Bangor Daily News. 

Currently, Juliana is the Chair of the Franco-American Collection Board of Directors, an archive and special collection in the University of Southern Maine Library,  located on the campus of the Lewiston Auburn College, in Lewiston. 

“I am honored to have the special opportunities provided to me while writing about the Franco-American heritage, religion, culture, cuisine and the French language”, said Juliana. “I look forward to learning more about the culture by hearing the history of Saint Francis High School and College from those who attended and who knew the wonderful faculty who taught there.”

Richard received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from LaVerne University in California. He is retired from the U.S. Navy and from UNUM in Portland. 

Juliana is a Registered Nurse, an alumna of the University of Southern Maine and earned a Masters in Health Care Administration from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish.  She is also the President Elect of the American Nurses Association of Maine (ANA-Maine)