Alfred George
Marist Brothers – United States Province
Brother Alfred George died peacefully on December 3, 2023 at the Champagnat Hall Residence of the Marist Brothers, Bronx, New York. He was 94 years old and in his 76th year of Marist religious life. He was born in Berlin, New Hampshire, on May 20, 1929, the son of the late George and Rose Lavigne Ouellette.
Brother Alfred entered the Juniorate of the Marist Brothers at St. Joseph’s in Tyngsboro in 1943. He began his novitiate at St. Ann’s Hermitage in Poughkeepsie, NY in 1946, received the Habit in 1947 and pronounced first vows in 1948. He returned to St. Joseph’s in Tyngsboro after profession where he served as a cook and then went to the Marist Brothers Scholasticate in Poughkeepsie where he completed a BA in History in 1952. His first teaching assignment was at Central Catholic High School in Wheeling, WV. He professed final vows in 1953 and then was assigned as a teacher at Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx in 1954.
In 1955, Brother Alfred left the States to serve in the missions of the Philippines. Over the course of his years there he worked as a teacher, director, and principal in a number of Marist schools in Jolo, Marikina, and Cotobato to name a few. In 1962 he made his second novitiate renewal in Fribourg, Switzerland and pronounced the Vow of Stability. He returned to the Philippines for another 10 years, during which time he received an MA in Education from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. He was then sent for studies at the Center Champagnat at the Marist Brothers General House in Rome, Italy. After completing the course, upon his return, he served in formation in the Philippines as Director of Aspirants and Director of Scholastics. In 1982 he went to the States to St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, NY where he worked with the handicapped. He went back to the Philippines in 1984 for 5 years working in Campus Ministry at ND-Kidapawan College. In 1989 he returned to the States and worked as Attendance Officer at Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, NJ for several years. He also raised significant funds for our Marist Missions by speaking at churches all across the country for over 20 summers. He retired to the Champagnat Hall community in 2017.
A true New Englander and avid Red Sox fan, Brother Alfred was a kind, outgoing and happy individual who spread that feeling wherever he went. He will be greatly missed. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Alfred and George, and four sisters, Rose, Florence, Edna and Jeanine. He is survived by his sister Madeleine McCarthy, 3 generations of nieces and nephews and his Marist Brothers.
Oh, what consolation we have, when about to appear before God, to remember that we have lived in the favor of Mary, and in her own Society. – St. Marcellin Champagnat