Rock A. Levasseur, 81, of Plymouth, MA, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2025. Rock was born in Portland, Maine in 1943 to Roch and Rosamund Levasseur. As a young man, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and graduated from Waterville High School in 1961.
Rock attended the Maine Maritime Academy, graduating in 1965 as a Merchant Marine / Licensed Engineer. For a while, he travelled the world working on ships. In 1966, he married the love of his life, Paulette (Guillemette) Levasseur and settled in Westbrook, ME. After a few years, Rock left the Merchant Marines for a brief stint as an engineer on a tugboat on the Delaware River near Philadelphia. He and Paulette returned to Maine when he accepted a job at Wyman Power Station in Yarmouth, Maine (CMP). With a growing family, he and Paulette built a house in Cumberland, Maine. Rock spent much of the 1970’s finishing this work (while holding a full-time job), framing the house, installing the electricity, sheathing the walls, fitting the windows and doors, installing the roof, finishing the interiors, and clearing the yard. It was a remarkable achievement.
In 1981, needing a new job, Rock and Paulette made the difficult decision to leave their home behind to settle in Gorham, NH, where Rock worked for Brown Paper Company. While the family enjoyed living in the White Mountains, Rock and Paulette decided a better home could be found in Manchester, NH, where Rock was employed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) in the Purchasing Department. Everywhere they moved, Rock was known for being a devout Catholic who participated actively in his parishes and a beloved troop leader for the Boy Scouts of America. With Paulette on his arm, he was an enthusiastic square dancer. A dedicated father, he coached Little League and basketball teams. And all along, he finished countless home-improvement projects.
In the late 1980’s, Rock returned to his roots as an electrical engineer and problem-solver: he took a job at Schiller Station Power Plant in Portsmouth, NH. He and Paulette moved yet again to Durham and then to Dover, NH. Even after retirement, Rock took on a new career as a Home Inspector. Finally, in the early 2000’s, he and Paulette “really” retired by becoming “snow birds”-buying a small home in Frostproof, Florida where-six months of the year-Rock focused on researching family history, wine making, and award-winning landscape painting. In the summer, he and Paulette lived in East Bridgewater, MA, where he helped his daughter’s family re-side and re-paint their old house (along with many other fixer-upper tasks). He and Paulette completed their travels by moving to South Meadow Village in Carver, MA and, finally, Stafford Hill Senior Living in Plymouth, MA.
Rock loved taking walks (preferably with his wife and their dog), hiking, and camping. Interested in American and Native American history, he enjoyed travelling all over the United States and Canada and visiting national parks and historical sites. He and Paulette even travelled to Italy, Germany, and England to visit their sons.
Rock is sorely missed by his wife, his children and grandchildren, his extended family, and many more who knew him throughout his busy life. He was dedicated to making the world a better place by small acts of kindness which touched everyone who knew him. He worked to keep his extended family in touch by organizing and participating in many family reunions, where his story-telling skills and sense of humor made him fun to talk and listen to. He was always ready to give a bit of advice about home improvement and maintenance or to lend a helping hand to anyone who asked.
Roch is survived by his wife of 59 years, Paulette (Guillemette) Levasseur; sister, Joan (Levasseur) Poulin and sister-in-law, Lucy (Guillemette) Allen; daughter, Susan Levasseur; son, Peter Levasseur and son, Michael Levasseur; grandchildren, Sarah, Ethan, Eloise, Orson, Clara, and Alice; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Joseph Levasseur; sister, Betty (Levasseur) Biggins; sister, Terry (Levasseur) Niman; and brother-in-law, Gerard Guillemette.
A small, family-only “Celebration of Life” service will be held on August 1, 2025. A recording of the service will be made available by request.