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Place of Birth: Houlton, Maine U.S.A.
Profession: Grocery Business Owner (Butcher)
Subjects: State of Maine Boy to Man
Place of Birth: Houlton, Maine
Profession: Wife & Mother
Subjects: Bridgewater to Houlton
Place of Birth: Woodstock, New Brunswick
Profession: Wife, Mother, Grocery Business Owner & Volunteer
Subjects: Woodstock to Houlton
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Photos: Top Left; James Joseph Daigle, High School Graduation Top Right; Muriel Grace (Alward) Daigle
Middle Left; James Joseph Daigle, at Daigle's Market Bottom Right; Alice Winnifred (Winni Kearney) Daigle
Bottom Left; James & Winni (unknown date)
Military Occupation
Presidential Mention
Service Commendation
Army Service Task
Service Record
Separation Qualification Record
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James Joseph Daigle was born in Houlton, Maine, USA on October 12, 1913. He was raised in Houlton, son of William and Barbara Jean (Phillips) Daigle. His father was the owner of several potato houses and Amoco fuel tanks in the Houlton area. He attended Elementary, Secondary and High School, to his graduation, in Houlton . After his high school graduation he worked, as the butcher, with his older brother Phil, managing Daigle's Market. A few years later he was offered a position as Manager of the Presque'ile Liquor Store. The family subsequently moved to Presque Iles, Maine. It was while in Presque'ile that he was drafted into the US Army. He was '30' years old and had '3' children when he received his draft notice.
He married Muriel Grace Alward, from Houlton, Maine on ......, ....... in Houlton, Maine. While together they had '2' children, Barbara Jean, born December 17, 1932 and Vilda Muriel, born June 8, 1937. Unfortunately, Muriel (wife) passed away during child birth. James continued to raise the '2' girls by himself until his marriage to Alice Winnifred Kearney, from Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. During their marriage they birthed '1' daughter, Carole Ann. (under development)
On November 23, 1943, James was drafted into the United States Army Infantry. His active service began on December 14, 1943, with Company D, 143rd Infintry from whence time he performed his training as 'Private' at Fort Devens, Mass, first as a cook, then as a Heavy Machine Gunner 605. On July 26, 1944 he departed the United States for Europe, where he fought with the Company D, 399th Infantry and Company D, 143rd Infantry with 100th and 36th Divisions, in Central Europe during the Rhineland Campaign, as PFC. On November 10, 1945 he left Europe and arrived in the USA on November 20, 1945. On November 24, 1945 he left the US Army Service with 'distinction'. He received the Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon, the Victoria Medal and the Distinguished Unit Badge. He was a member of the VFW and the Disabled American Veterans. (He never spoke of the war with immediate family.)
Upon returning from Europe he became the co-owner, with his brother Phil, of Daigle's Market on Military Street, Houlton, Maine.
He and his wife (Winnie) loved to go to their little cottage on Brackett Lake, Maine. He woke most mornings at 0400 hrs to be out the door fishing prior to sun-up, often with one of his grand-children. He also loved to tend his roses at the front of the cottage.
When Daigle's Market closed he started another business on the Woodstock Road, almost across from the Houlton State Police station. This was a small general store. When he closed this business he worked as a Janitor at one of the schools (SAD 29) in Houlton. He did this up until his health failed, due to cancer. He died on September 20, 1977. (He was the softest spoken gentleman you could ever meet & he always helped me win in family card games, during summer vacations at the cottage.)
Muriel Grace Alward was born in Houlton, Maine on October 10, 1915 and was the daughter of Charles (Chas) Elton Alward and Addie McKinnon Dickinson of Houlton , Maine. Muriel's mother Adeline (Addie) is descended from John Howland & Elizabeth Howland (Tilley), 'Mayflower' passangers.(under development)
She died, during child birth, in Houlton, Maine on June 8,1937.
Alice Winnifred (Winni) Kearney was born in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada on May 9, 1919 and was the daughter of G. Hastings Kearney and Ethel (Bull) Kearney. She most loved to spend time with family (at any time of the day), to cook up her favorites; fiddleheads, scalloped potatoes, fresh bass chowder (while at the cottage she always told me that if I caught, cleaned and scale the bass, then she would make the chowder) and to play bridge (cards) with her lady friends. She never raised her voice and we all loved to hear what she had to say.
She was a member of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Houlton Regional Hospital Women's Auxiliary, Houlton Seniority and the Senior Extension. (under development)
She died in Houlton, Maine on October 14, 1998.
Muriel's & Alice's:
Children: Barbara Jean, Vilda Muriel and Carole Ann
Grand-Children: Carla, Rodney, Lynn, Karen, Donna, Susan, Debbie, Jeff, Stephen
Great Grand-Children: (under developement)