My sincere condolences to the family. In this time of grief God will fortify you as he says in Isaiah 41:10. Also please read Revelation 21:4 where it says that there will be a time when death will be no more..

Condolence: My heart goes out to The Cormier family on your precious loss:
May you find some comfort in the Most High God’s written word. He promises to fulfill all that He has said (Titus 1:2). No more sickness(Isaiah 33:24). No more death (Isaiah 25:8). Seeing our loved ones again ( John5:28, 29) and he says where at Psalms 37:11 and how long Psalms 37:29). Later when you feel up to it, to read these few Scriptures of Comfort. They helped me when our daughter fell asleep in death. And, recently my husband fell asleep in death. And, I hope these Promises from God will be of some comfort to you as well. Especially, when One reflects on the way Jesus viewed death at John 11:11-14. Yes, God’s son Jesus viewed death as one Sleeping

The Lessons from a 101-years-old oak tree
Mel Arat

When I was a student at Harvard University for my master's degree in management, I stayed in different places. The most unforgettable one was my stay at the house of Mr. Joseph “Cam” Cormier. I want to share what I observed and learned from this old oak tree.

Cam had a short-term memory problem from dementia. His legs were weak, so he used a walker. Although he was 101 years old, he looked like he was just 70.

When I met Cam, I was surprised to see that he spent a considerable part of his day playing dominoes, checkers, all kinds of table games and jigsaw puzzles. Playing games keeps mental skills alive. While playing games, small calculations and strategic thinking are practiced. When I learned how long Cam had played these games, I was astonished. He had never stopped playing games. He continued after he got married, and when guests came, they played various games after dinner. Everyone is having fun while playing games such as monopoly, scrabble or dominoes. Winners and losers change in each round. During the games, there are always jokes, laughs, and a sense of victory. The games are an authentic source of happiness. I think that games were one of the primary elements that kept Cam and his wife (who passed away at 97) going so long.

He’s an exemplary Catholic, and you could hear that he was frequently praying. One of the books he’d read with very high concentration was an illustrated Bible. Sometimes, he wouldn't go to sleep, before finishing the book.

Cam’s motivation and optimism were extraordinary, and his social skills were unrivaled. Everyone around him was fascinated with his sweetness and cute personality. He started his business career as a shoemaker. Later, he had run his own business for many years, servicing oil burners. As a person who witnessed the Great Depression and Second World War, he knew the importance of being frugal. He never had a tolerance for an unnecessary light at his home.

As a Canadian-American, he spoke both French and English. Cam greeted everybody in a warm and cordial way, and he asked in French: "Comment ca va?" ("How are you?") In a country whose daily language is English, a French-speaking old man was very sympathetic to the people. His never-missing smile from his face was his significant power in communication.

In spite of all of his health issues, when someone asked how he felt he always answered "Normal, I am normal." When doctors or nurses asked "Do you feel any pain or ache?" he always answered "I feel all right." "I do not have a problem; I feel good." He never complained about his health condition. People were impressed with his answer. Can you imagine a 101-year-old man never complaining about his health? His motivation was always high. Cam often sang a beautiful song or a joyful hymn. Maybe it was his motivation and joy kept him alive so long.

During the five months that we stayed together, I never saw that he criticized one single person or heard that he talked about someone in a negative way. If you asked about a meal that he didn't like it, he always replied: "I am eating it." If he really didn't like the food, he usually said, "I think this is too much for me." He never complained about the food and never said anything such as "This is salty, this tastes bad, or this is terrible."

He was very polite to the people around him. He appreciated and thanked everyone on all occasions. The people around him always felt the gratitude in his tone of saying "thank you."

You might also wonder what Cam ate when he was 101 years old. People want to eat foods that will help them live longer and avoid the food that will shorten their lives. Cam ate every kind of food. He didn't have a special diet; he used to eat everything you can imagine: Egg, beef, chicken, fish, vegetables, soup, pasta, rice, desserts, cookies, salads, cheese. Despite his appetite, later years he ate little. Nearly always, Cam ate some dessert after every meal, and he drank a lot of water.

Despite his dementia, every day he read a newspaper for fifteen minutes after breakfast. Most of the time he only read headlines and sports. If there was anything he didn't understand, he's asked about it. A few years back, one morning he woke up and he realized that one of his eyes became blind. He did all his reading activities with one eye. I think it is incredible that while healthy people are not reading, a 101-year-old man was reading newspapers and books even with his one eye.

When you wanted him to make a choice, he often left you the decision. If you had asked him a question such as "Do you want to play Dominoes or Chinese Checkers?" "Do you want pasta or rice?”, "Do you want to drink coke or lemonade?" he always replied: "Does not matter." He consciously gave this answer. Such small choices in life do not make a big difference. Cam’s answer meant two things. First, literally, it does not matter. Second, it meant "let's eat whatever it is. The important thing is eating and getting the energy; it is not about your choice."

One of the reasons behind his excellent dialogue with the people was that he often left the decision to the people around him. He was ready to accept any recommendation: "I would like to do that if you say so and if it will be more appropriate to do that." He trusted the people around him, and he knew that most of the time doing what he wanted or what the other person wanted, didn't make a huge difference. I think this approach besides the other factors helped him get along well with everyone.

One of Cam’s striking characteristics was his routines. He always had his breakfast, lunch, and dinner at certain times. Breakfast is at seven, lunch at noon, and dinner is at five. Always punctual. If you asked him time, he always responded with the minutes. It was never 10 o'clock; it was two past ten. He was aware of the importance of time. One day, I accompanied him when he went to a doctor. At the hospital, the doctor was a little late for the examination. Cam asked: "Why are we waiting?" The daughter replied: "Dad, you are retired, you don't have anything to do after this visit." Cam replied, "I may not have anything important. But does my doctor have a more important thing than examining me?" His gentle personality did not hold him seeking his right.

His wife passed away four years before him. When he talked about his wife, I could see the love in his words, and in his looks. One of his neighbors told me that he always said to his wife: "I will not die first, and I will not upset you with my death." What an unusual approach. He wanted to die after his wife; he didn't let his wife witness his death. What a sacrifice!

Cam had two daughters. Both are college graduates. One of them has a master's degree from Stanford. The other studied Law at the University of Virginia. In contrast, Cam was only a middle school graduate. He gave his daughters and his wife a warm home. His daughters were grown as ladies with family values. In the USA, when you're too old, usually your destiny is the nursing home. It wasn't the case in the Cormier family. His daughters sent neither their father nor their mother to the nursing home. They looked after them at their home as best they could.

A wide variety of lessons are available from Cam’s long life. Here is the summary of the lessons that I learned from him:

Always be positive. Keep yourself motivated. Sing. Play games. Pray. Hear the voice of God in your heart. Have some positive routines. Eat everything, but not much.
Life is short. Get along with the people, and don't break people's hearts. Always be a gentleman. Know to seek your right when it is necessary.
Work hard. Save money. Invest for the future.
Small things are small things; do not give them too much importance. Be a kind, loving father and family man.

Thanks Cam, for sharing your beauty and wisdom with me, your family and all who knew you.

My first job was cleaning oil burners for Mr Cormier. Not only did Mr Cormier teach me, his oil burner cleaner apprentice how to clean oil burners but he also taught me a few valuable lessons. One was how to clean the burners without making a mess, the other was to always look out for one's family, yet another was to make sure to practice your faith. The last two have always stuck with me. # 1... if you find yourself having driven past the destination on a one - way, back up... you will not get a ticket because you are still driving in the right direction and the last one... # 2 if you ever find your self in combat serving the US, when the enemy is bombing the area where you happen to be, make sure not to jump into a truck full of ammunition. Well the bombs missed Mr Cormier , he lived to tell the tale and lived to 102. Way to go Mr Cormier. God Bless and rest in peace.
Jimmy Lavery