Francis J. Bourgeois EAGLE MILLS – Francis J. Bourgeois, 81, formerly of Cohoes, died Monday, December 16, 2013 at the Evergreen Commons in East Greenbush with his beloved wife at his side. Born in Cohoes on October 16, 1932, he was the son of the late Oscar F. and Amelia M. Provost Bourgeois. He graduated from St. Joseph's Grammar School, Cohoes High School and the Modern School of Welding in Schenectady. Frank lived in Cohoes for many years before moving to Eagle Mills in 1971. Frank worked on tugboats from 1951-53 traveling the five great lakes. He was employed from 1941-1995 at the Mohawk Paper Mill in Cohoes as a stockman, shipper and last as a paper finisher working under three great bosses, George E. O'Connor, Thomas D. O'Connor, Sr. and Thomas D. O'Connor, Jr. He loved going to work and in 1970 after a serious industrial accident, he returned to work after only 6 months of recovery when doctors thought he would never work again because he didn't want to go on disability. Frank was very active in his union, United Paperworkers International Union (UPIU) and served as president of the union for many years negotiating several of the union contracts. He was a former member of the Brunswick Elks, member of the Cohoes Senior Citizens Center, Eagle Mills Volunteer Fire Dept. Eagle Mills Rescue Squad and was a fire-police captain. Frank was also active in politics with the Cohoes Citizens Party and served on the Cohoes Civil Service Commission and on the Brunswick Planning Board. He was a communicant of the former St. Francis DeSales Church in Troy serving as an usher and Eucharistic minister. He joined Our Lady of Victory Church in 2010. He was a loving, caring, humorous, charitable and deeply religious man who doted on his wife and family. Lady Patricia was #1 to him. He loved to read about political figures, loved traveling to baseball stadiums and enjoyed gardening. Frank did not allow adversity to get him down and his focus was always to provide for his wife and children. He is the beloved wife of 58 years of Patricia A. Tefft Bourgeois, loving father of Bonnie Rufenacht of Clifton Park, Maurice (Sherry) Bourgeois of Delaware, Nancy (Mark) Pailley of Brunswick, Barry Bourgeois of Michigan and Matthew Bourgeois of Brunswick, proud grandfather of Charles and Jennifer Pailley, Joseph, Maxwel, Samson and Emma Bourgeois, great grandfather of Julia Pailley, brother of Marie Benoit of Waterford, brother-in-law of Charles Schindler of Castleton and Robert Tefft of Colonie. He was predeceased by his sister, Jane Schindler and his niece, Ellen Smyth. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and friends. The funeral will be Friday at 10:30 am from the Doran Funeral Home, 9 South Lake Avenue, Troy and at 11 am at Our Lady of Victory Church, Troy. Interment St. Joseph's Cemetery, Waterford. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 4-7 pm. Contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.

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Published in The Record on Dec. 19, 2013