Gerard Poirier

Gerard France Poirier, of San Cristobal, died in his own home on March 13, just shy of his 100th birthday. Of French-Canadian descent, Gerard was born in Nashua, NH on July 10, 1918. He graduated from St. Anselm’s College with a degree in botany, and then joined the Army in 1940. During WWII he served as company commander of the 418th Signal Corps, VIII Fighter Command. While stationed in England, he fell in love with an Army nurse, Eleanor Kopsick, and was married on May 1, 1945 in Paris, France. After retiring from his work as a CPA/auditor with Rohr Corp. in San Diego, Gerard and Eleanor moved to San Cristobal in 1988 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. For over a decade, he used his skills with the Income Tax Assistance Program at the Ancianos Center, on the Finance Council of Holy Trinity Parish, and as the Treasurer of the Asociación de Vecinos de San Cristobal. He was a lifetime oblate of the Benedictine Order. Gerard is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, and by his five siblings. He leaves behind his six children: Suzanne Poirier, Joseph M. Poirier (Deborah), Mary Poirier Gilroy (Jim), Alfred J. Poirier (Trudy), G. Phil Poirier (Molly), and Alice Poirier Keltner (Keith); his nine grandchildren – David, Julia, and Peter Gilroy; Sarah, Sonja, and Anya Poirier; Andrew, Eva, Therese, and Alexander Keltner; and Katherine Poirier; and great grand-children - Lydia, Rosemary, Winston, Julianne, Jonah, Nina, Gabriel Gerard, Maxwell, Ingrid, Emmanuelle, Fiona, Theodore, Owen, and Tristan - who brought him great joy. Gerard’s vigil service will be Thursday, March 15, at 7 pm in the San Cristobal capilla, Holy Trinity Parish. His funeral mass will also take place there at 10 am on Friday, March 16, followed by a reception at the San Cristobal Community Center. He will be buried alongside his wife at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe; service is Monday, March 19 at 2:15 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Home Health Care.