Yvonne Bouchard Paradis
What do you remember about Yvonne? Share your stories and photos here, and invite others to come share their memories.
1945-2021
On the evening of January 16, 2021, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and lover of desserts passed away in New Britain General Hospital after a battle with pneumonia. The story ended as it began in the same hospital where she was born 75 years prior, though the journey along the way had taken her from coast to coast. Daughter of the late John and Helen Ramus, graduate of Pulaski High School, Yvonne had made residences in the Tacoma, Washington area as well as her most favorite destination of Newport, Rhode Island. She always found calm while sitting by the ocean and had a particular affinity to lighthouses. But she would never stay away from her true home of central Connecticut for very long, where she would return to New Britain and eventually reside in Berlin. Just as her choice of residence, she would also find a diverse career path that would most prominently include New Britain Machine, Aetna, and Jack and Jill Daycare in Newington.
Yvonne possessed a humor that was uniquely hers. Many will surely remember the bus full of trick-or-treaters prank. She'll also be remembered for always having room for dessert, especially the ones she would refer to as those that go down easy. She also greatly enjoyed getting wrapped up in a great comedic or suspenseful TV show, and was likely able to binge watch shows on Netfilx better than the best of us. Enjoying time with family and friends who became family though was probably her greatest joy.
Yvonne is survived, and greatly missed by loving husband Bob Paradis; son Mark Bouchard (Nicole Colomonico) and grandpup Tessa; daughter Debbie Litwinko (Yuri Westry) and grandchildren: Amber (Derek) and great grandson Dom, Adam Jay, Elizabeth Yvonne, Katie, and Carter; mother-in-law Mary "Gug" Paradis; step-daughter Jamie (Josh) Finkelstein and grandchildren: Emily and Zachary; step-son Tim (Jennifer) Paradis and grandchildren: Samantha and Timmy; as well as the most caring siblings one could have: Victoria Santi and John (Rita) Ramus, Connie (Tom) Porter, and Wanda (Larry) Long. She will also be missed greatly as Aunt Yvonne by Tricia Santi (Aram Aslanian), Paul Santi, Gary (Shirley) Santi, Marie Santi (Dennis Comprone), Roger (Maria) Santi, John (Iwona) Ramus, Kelly Zeitel, Tommy Porter, Dana Savage, Bobby Long, and many amazing great nieces and nephews. As well as close family members: Adam Litwinko, Celina (Manuel) Cavero, Sylvia (David) Slattery, Ewa (Derek) Hart and Angel, Zak Smith, and Tom McGrath. And friends that became family: Delia (Luis) Caballero, Jackie Hart, Michelle Fetterman, Pete (Marie) Downing, and countless others, a true testament to the loving person that she was. She is also survived by the family dog Chip, fondly nicknamed by her as Do-da. She was predeceased by father-in-law Robert "Pup" Paradis and the one of a kind brother-in-law Richard "Dick" Santi who walked her down the aisle towards the love of her life Bob.
As she passed with the sunset on that evening with rays of sun piercing brightly through the clouds, she depicted what her fascination with lighthouses meant for all those years, bringing to mind the poem "The Lighthouse" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright, Through the deep purple of the twilight air, Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light, With strange, unearthly splendor in the glare!" So to all that were fortunate to spend any time with Yvonne, know that even during our darkest times, she was always that ear to chat to and will continue to listen and guide us with her shining light.
A small immediate family gathering took place at Newington Memorial Funeral Home, and a larger celebration of life will be planned in the future. Gifts in memoriam can be made to the American Lung Association (lung.org) and/or at no cost sign up for smile.amazon.com and select the American Lung Association.