LEWISTON, Maine — It was an afternoon of joy and grief. The heads of Lewiston Public Schools joined with friends and family of Lucy Violette—a beloved employee who died alongside her husband, Bob, in the Lewiston mass shootings—to dedicate the office where she worked for decades in her name. A new wooden bench also honors her memory.
Violette worked in the business office of Lewiston Public Schools for 52 years, beginning her career in 1971, before some of her later colleagues were even born.
"She was just a steady, kind presence who wanted to do everything the right way," Adam Hanson, Violette's former supervisor, said at Monday's dedication.
During her more than half-century working in the school system, Violette earned a reputation as a diligent and dedicated worker with a keen attention to detail. The kind of person, colleagues said, who would come to find you if you were missing a document.
"Her commitment to accuracy was off the charts," Hanson added. "She was famous for her adding machine tapes. Everything would come out to the penny."
For all her meticulousness in service to the students of Lewiston, Violette is also remembered for a deep kindness.
"Lucy never had a bad word to say about anyone," Cassandra Violette, Lucy’s daughter-in-law, said Monday. "She truly respected others and cared so deeply."
Though healing from a loss of this magnitude may be near-impossible, the dedication was a chance for many gathered Monday to show Lucy's legacy is bigger than the tragic event that took her life and the life of her husband.
"We get to close a chapter. [The dedication ceremony is] how it ended for us—not back in October," Jake Langlais, the superintendent of Lewiston Public Schools, said of the dedication. "How it ended for us was that we were able to recognize and honor her in a good way."
The Lucille M. Violette Business Office will be located on the first floor of the Dingley Building.