Robert Gordon Lapointe's Obituary
Robert “Bob” Lapointe of Burnt Store Marina, FL passed away on August 2, 2017. He also lived in Rindge, N.H. and Saco, ME.Immediately after graduating from high school, Bob entered the U.S. Air Force, spending seven years on various bases in different countries, including Osan AFB in Korea, Hahn AFB in Germany, and Wheelus AFB in Africa. After his Honorable Discharge as a Sergeant from Active Duty, he served six years in the AF Reserves. He then attended Fitchburg State College on the GI Bill, earning a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English Education.Bob taught Middle School English in Winchendon, MA for many years. During that time he returned to Fitchburg State and earned two Masters of Education, one in Secondary English and the other in Educational Leadership.He was Class Advisor to the Class of 1975 and traveled with them to England for their Senior Trip. They dedicated the song “To Sir With Love’ to him during their high school years and at graduation.He started his administrative career as an Assistant Principal at Athol Junior High School and then went back to Winchendon as the Middle School and then the Elementary Principal. He was a member of the NEA Principal Group and presented at many conferences in New England. He also served on NEAS&C committees evaluating schools around New England.In 1972, Bob joined the Rindge Fire Department and worked his way up the ranks to become Fire Chief, retiring in 1998. During that time, he became one of the first nationally certified EMT’s in the country. He was also an SCBA Instructor for many years at Meadowood Fire School and he was a Fire Warden for the State of New Hampshire.He believed in giving back to the community he lived in. He served as Bail Commissioner for the Town of Rindge and was a Justice of the Peace. He belonged to the American Legion, the Elks, and the VFW. He was a also a Mason.Bob loved his vacation home in Camp Ellis Beach, ME and his boat “Knot Behavin”. While living in Maine, he took the coursework and was awarded his Coast Guard Captain License, stating that the CG Course was harder than his two Master’s Degrees.Bob struggled with health issues when his kidneys failed. He receive a double kidney transplant at Maine Med in Portland, ME in 2003. He suffered many illnesses and physical complications over the years and moved to Florida to get away from the New England winters.Bob is survived by his wife Margaret, and their family, Jesamyn Angelica and her husband, Gus Beucke of Hayward, CA, and Heather Kerwin and her husband Jason Kerwin and three grandchildren, Aurora, Finnian and Everett of Cape Coral, FL. He also is survived by six sisters and 2 brothers, and many nieces and nephews.He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. Donations may be made in Bob’s name to the Rindge NH Fire Department, 150 Main St., Rindge, NH 03461, or the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY, 10016.Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 1589 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33907, 239-936-0555. Online condolences may be offered on Mr. Lapointe’s memorial web page at: www.fortmyersmemorial.com.
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