Donald J Michaud

Guilderland – Donald ("Donnie") Joseph Michaud, 76, passed away on Thursday, June 29th, 2017. Born in Lewiston, Maine, Don was the son of the late Alfred and Matté (Lauzier) Michaud. Don honorably served his country first in the Marine Corp ROTC, then in the United States Air Force specializing in linguistics as a multi language translator and spent his free time mastering the game of ping-pong. He later served in the Army National Guard. He loved life and having fun and was the last to leave a party. But he was an excellent provider and always put his family first before anything. Don worked in the railroad industry for almost 50 years and retired from Conrail/CSX. In addition to being an avid animal lover and betting on horses ("playing the ponies") and bidding 4 without the jack in a game of pitch, in his younger years he also played on many bar League softball teams. But his favorite past times were watching baseball and football, particularly the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. He was a local chess champion and enjoyed challenging all of his family members to a chess match, especially at Whitehorse Beach, where he and his entire family vacationed since the 1960's. Don was a long time parishioner of St. Madeleine Sophie Parish. Besides his parents, Don is predeceased by his foster parents, Josephine and Charles Baillargeon who raised him since the age of 9, his stepfather, Roland Berube, his brother, Ferdinand (Fern) Michaud and two nieces, his dear friend and father-in-law, Richard ("Richie") Tolan and his brother-in-law, Richard ("Dick") Tolan. Don leaves behind to cherish his memory his beloved wife of 45 years, Kathleen (Tolan ) Michaud, his loving daughters, Matté Jeanne Boyd, Shannon Muth (Daniel) and Laurie Doyle (Aaron) and his grandchildren who always made him laugh, Alyssa, Cassius, Jack and Fiona. He also leaves behind several nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws. Calling hours will be held on Thursday evening from 5-7pm at the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 5216 Western Turnpike in Guilderland. Funeral services will begin Friday morning, promptly at 9:15am at the funeral home and will be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial that will be celebrated at 10am at St. Madeleine-Sophie Parish on Carman Road. Interment with full military honors will be at Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Don’s name can be made to the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Ave., Albany, NY 12208.