My granddaughters will never know their great grandpapa who died last month at the age of 95. Those who did know him would never forget him. If I'd written a Most Memorable Character for Reader's Digest , I would have written about the father of my children's father, Carlyle Gagnier. He truly was one of a kind. I wanted to get down a few memories for my grandkids in case they asked their parents about him one day. My kids were young the last time they saw him, only teenagers. They lost him to marital estrangement and it is a guilt I carry with me always. Here goes. Carlyle was born in February 24, 1921, the same day as my own sainted mother who passed away more than two decades ago. Carl was one of gaggle of Gagnier children including Patrick, Armand and Marquita. As the legend goes, his French Canadian father married his Irish mother who spoke no French whatsoever. Kathleen spent her life among the French not understanding anybody, including he...
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