Albert Chouinard

Albert Gary Chouinard
March 8, 1942 - February 15, 2025

Albert "Al" Chouinard passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Roslindale, MA.

His mother, Veronica Estelle (née Hebert) Chouinard, had worked for the telephone company, while his father, Albert Eugene Chouinard, balanced doctoral studies at Clark University with work as a machinist. They lived in Worcester, MA, when Al was born.  He was the eldest of four siblings: Claudette, Robert, and David.  Tragically, his brother Robert passed away at just two years of age due to encephalitis, a loss that deeply impacted the family. 

Al grew up in a Roman Catholic, working-class household, though his early years were unique. He spoke only Québécois French until kindergarten when the school superintendent informed his mother that he needed to learn English to attend school. Al learned English and after his father completed his doctorate in 1949, his family moved to Lakeview Avenue in Tyngsboro, MA.  His father became a professor and was the head of the leather technology department at Lowell Technological Institute (LTI). 

Al had a childhood filled with both mischief and curiosity. His inventive streak led to early experiments with electricity—some resulting in shocks for his sister or the neighbor’s dog that afterward avoided slumbering on their front stoop.  One day, left home alone, Al transformed the kitchen into a skating rink by covering the floor in oil.  As if that weren’t enough of a stunt, he locked his mother out of the house so that he could revel a bit longer in his own shenanigans.

Al attended Keith Academy, where he excelled in electronics despite rumored struggles with French. In 1958, he won the Lowell Sun Technorama prize in science, earning a trip aboard the USS Macon. Around that time, his love of boats began to take shape. At 17, he built a 16-foot speedboat with a homemade tachometer and an upcycled push-button radio, funding the project through work at Vesper Country Club and procuring other parts through strategic scavenging at junkyards. His efforts earned him a feature in the local newspaper, showcasing his boat.

After high school, Al attended Holy Cross, later taking a year off to earn an associate degree in electronics from LTI before returning to complete his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1964. Photography became a side passion, and he took wedding and event photos to supplement his income and even used space in the basement of his family’s home as a dark room. 

In 1965 Al married Cathy Dykes.  He took a job teaching science at Fitchburg High School, and the following year, their daughter Cathy was born. Tragically, Al’s wife Cathy passed away later that year, a loss that cast a long shadow over Al’s life.

Several years later, Al met Louise Liston who was an administrative assistant at the VA Hospital in Bedford, MA.  They married, raised Cathy, and had their three children: Jean, Albert, and Christine.  They lived in Townsend which was an easy commute to Al’s teaching job in Fitchburg and later to his job at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (Monty Tech).  There he managed construction and procurement and eventually helped hire the staff for the school.

After Louise and Al divorced, he returned to his childhood home in Tyngsboro.  At Monty Tech, he met guidance counselor Mary Riordan.   She helped write and type his papers when he started pursuing his Masters in Education at Fitchburg State College which enabled him to teach a course in laws pertaining to vocational education at University of Massachusetts Boston. They married in 1977 and,  drawn by the town’s excellent schools, settled in Medfield, MA. There, they had two daughters, Anne-Marie and Veronica.

Al took on the role of Superintendent and Director at Quinobin Regional Vocational Technical School in Wellesley, MA, overseeing its opening in 1978 and operations until its closure in 1987. He later worked for DG Hills Construction in Dover, MA and then at The Boston Home in Dorchester, MA as the Plant Engineer.  There he supervised an 80-bed expansion and implemented creative solutions, including feline exterminators for rodent control.  He also made sure to connect with the residents and every year gave each one a rose on Christmas Day.  

Al was known for his generosity.  Restaurant servers often benefited from his substantial tips, and he rarely took leave from a loved one without making sure they had enough money or whatever they might need, oftentimes offering up a spare flashlight or motor, just in case. 

An avid reader, Al favored manuals and spent much of his time on mechanical projects, from rebuilding alternators to restoring military vehicles, including a Dodge M37 weapons carrier and an ambulance reminiscent of M*A*S*H. His shepherd-chow mutt, “Teddy” was his security system and well known to local BBQ joints where staff would take ribs out to the ambulance for him while Al dined inside.

His latent passion for boats led him to acquire a power boat Impulsive as well as memberships at Dorchester Yacht Club (DYC) and Savin Hill Yacht Club (SHYC).  He organized work parties for construction of docks and fingers at DYC and in the winter liked to swing by the club to check to make sure that the dock bubblers were keeping the ice from building up and causing damage.  He developed an affinity for Friendship Sloops, acquiring Ghoti and later Hold Tight.  Much to his delight, his daughter Anne-Marie, who’d already shown an interest in rowing, got into sailing at SHYC and eventually helped ready Hold Tight for a voyage to its ancestral home in Rockland, ME. 

In 1999 he began working as a Plant Engineer at The Boston Higashi in Randolph, MA.  He was impressed by their jazz band and often invited Japanese exchange students back to the house to share in Thanksgiving dinner. 

In later years, he lived with his long-time friend Bridget Dwyer.  Mary and Al eventually divorced and Al retired.  He bore the untimely death of his son Al in 2016.  Despite his strength, the loss of his son was a sorrow he carried deeply, one of the many hardships he faced with quiet resilience.  In 2022, he transitioned to Standish Village. The adjustment was difficult at first, but he found companionship in Lydia, and together they provided each other with comfort.

In 2024, he transitioned to long-term care at CareOne in Concord and then Hebrew Rehabilitation Center as Alzheimer’s gradually altered his reality. Even as the disease progressed, his wit and playful nature remained. He delighted in telling his visitors that he went out on his “90-foot sailboat” or that the diesel engines on his boat sounded just right when they ran.   Despite his dementia, he rarely missed an opportunity for mischief and often lightheartedly joked with his doctors and caretakers.  He relished having an audience and loved to laugh. Among other things, he will be remembered for his humor, resilience, and generosity.

Al was predeceased by his brother Robert, his first wife Cathy, and his son Al.

He is survived by his siblings, Claudette and David; his second wife Louise; his third wife Mary; his daughters: Cathy, Jean, Christine, Anne-Marie, and Veronica; his grandchildren Michael, Mitchell, and Martial; Brett, Travis, and Tyler; Austin, Kory, Jordan, and Sage; and his great-grandchildren: Camilla and Valentina.

A celebration of Albert Chouinard’s life will be held on July 27, 2025.  Please contact Veronica at albert.g.chouinard+celebrationoflife@gmail.com by July 1st for more information and to RSVP.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in memory of Albert Chouinard to either the Friendship Memorial Scholarship Fund or Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.

For the Friendship Memorial Scholarship, send a check with “FREN” in the memo to:
            Friendship Memorial Scholarship Fund
            Maine Community Foundation
            245 Main St.
            Ellsworth, ME 04605

For Hebrew Rehabilitation Center donate online at hebrewseniorlife.org/TributeGift or send a check to the address below:
            Hebrew SeniorLife
            Development Department
            1200 Centre Street
            Boston, MA 02131