Joseph H. R. Cormier

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Joseph H. R. Cormier

November 25, 1930 ~ July 27, 2022

 Joseph H. R. Cormier, age 91, of Conowingo, Maryland passed away on July 27, 2022.

 Joe was born in Gardner, Massachusetts to the late Edgar Cormier and Margaret Lemanager.  He is preceded in death by his wife Bessie Lee and three siblings Theresa, Ernest and Roger, and by his grandson Kristopher and nephew David.

Joe is survived by his three children: daughter Lyn Chambers of St Peter, Missouri, son Raymond Cormier (Irina) of Port Deposit, Maryland and daughter Marguerite Cormier (Jeanne) of Worcester, Massachusetts; his siblings: Edna (Donnie Casey), Robert (Carol), John (Ginette), as well as by his three grandchildren Joe, Kat and Elizabeth, step-granddaughter Alena, and three great-grandchildren Alexis, Xavier and Zayden, grand daughter-in-law Kristi Cormier, a special friend Sarah Johnson (Erb), several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great- nephews.

Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1947 and was a veteran of the Korean war where he fought in the battle of Chosin Reservoir. Joe was also a veteran of the Vietnam War and spent much of his military career in Special Forces. In 1957 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he met the love of his life Bessie Lee. They were married Sept 7, 1957. Together they moved many times and had plenty of adventures while Joe finished his career in the Army, and finally retired in 1970 as a Command Sargent Major.

For almost twenty years Joe and his wife lived in Tooele, Utah and during this time he became a deacon in the Catholic Church. He applied for the Permanent Diaconate program for the Diocese of Salt Lake City in 1994, and was ordained on November 30, 1997, by Bishop George H. Niederauer at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.  He served at Saint Francis Xavier Parish, Kearns from January 1, 1998 until August 31, 2000; he served at Saint Marguerite Parish, Tooele, from September 1, 2000 until his retirement on September 1, 2008.

Later in life Joe moved to Conowingo, Maryland where he resided for the last several years.

Joe was always a valuable and vibrant member of every community he lived in. He loved to help people, he was always there for everyone who needed advice, support or just to be heard. He was a dedicated and an extremely active lifelong supporter of the Catholic church. Joe was a passionate reader, RV traveler, sports fan and loved westerns. He loved his family and was loved back.

A viewing will be held at St. Marguerite Catholic Church, 15 South 7th Street, Tooele on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, from 10:15-11:45 a.m. with a funeral Mass celebrated by Fr. Ken Vialpando and Fr. Rafael Murillo following at noon. Deacon Cormier will be interred at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery on Friday, Aug. 5.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children Hospital or Smile Train charity, two of Joe’s favorite charities.