Alphonse H Thibeault

Alphonse Henry “Cookie” Thibeault, 73, of Cumberland, formerly of Woonsocket, passed away on October 16 at Miriam Hospital after a long illness, surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Deborah (Tremblay) Thibeault, and they would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary the very next day. “Cookie,” as he was known to family and friends, is also survived by his son Christopher Thibeault and his wife Hollie, and his daughter Gina Palermo and her husband Brent. He was also the proud grandfather of Kate and Addison Thibeault, Henry and Willow Palermo, and Aidan and Emily O’Brien all of whom he absolutely adored and doted on. They are what kept him going during his final years.

Born in Woonsocket on December 22, 1950, he was the son of late Germaine Thibeault and Joseph “Romeo” Piette. He lived in Woonsocket for most of his life, moving to Cumberland in 2019.

Alphonse served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He was proud of his service and his country. During his time with the Army, he was awarded a National Service Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Combat Infantryman Badge, an Army Commendation Medal, an Air Medal, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He was one of the first members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association of Rhode Island.

He worked for many decades on the 3rd shift at the GAF plant in Millis, MA as a maintenance mechanic until his retirement. He was a man who could fix or build almost anything, whether at work or at home (where we kept him endlessly busy).

Alphonse had many hobbies that he enjoyed. He loved to travel, whether it was going cross-country on his motorcycle or in his camper to hunt for gold, or traveling to interesting places around the world. He was a coin collector who was never shy to talk about some rare variation of a quarter. He loved new “toys,” ranging from the newest tech gadgets to recently trying his hand at playing the cello. Even when he didn’t stick with it, he approached everything with the enthusiasm of a young kid, because in his heart, that’s what he still was. He was a photographer, a skill that he passed down to both of his children. He was an avid fisherman who built his own poles, and still managed to get out to fish one last time with the grandkids a week before he passed.

He was a man who loved his family and was a true hero in every sense of the word. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

His funeral will be held Wednesday at 9:00 AM from the Fournier & Fournier Funeral Home, 99 Cumberland St. Woonsocket, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM at St. Anthony’s Church, Green St. Woonsocket. Burial with Military Honors will follow in the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI. Visiting hours are Tuesday 4-7 PM. Please visit www.fournierandfournier.com for guestbook and directions.

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