Funeral services will be held Saturday at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Souris for well-known Island musician Lemual Richard (Lemmie) Chaisson.
Chaisson, 67, died Tuesday after a brief but courageous battle with lung cancer.
An accomplished guitar player who also played mandolin and fiddle and sang, Chaisson devoted more than 30 years of his life to playing music.
He was a member of the Chaisson Trio, in which he played with cousins Peter and Kevin Chaisson.
He also played with the Rollo Bay Kitchen Group and performed on a regular basis for the residents of Colville Manor.
Chaisson was a fixture of the festivals at Rollo Bay where he was known to play for hours at a time, backing several artists in a day.
He was also an honorary member of the P.E.I. Fiddlers Society.
He was the son of the late Willie Jerome Chaisson and Mary Louise Burke.
Chaisson is survived by his wife Judy and five children, Louise, Matthew, Susie, Mary and Paula.
He is also survived by seven brothers and sisters, Jerome, Jimmy, Winnifred, Lorraine, Mary Ann, Alice Ann and Jean.
He is survived as well by 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A major benefit had been planned for Chaisson for St. Mary’s Hall on March 24.
That benefit will still go ahead. Money raised at that event will benefit Chaisson’s family.
Remains are resting at the Dingwell Funeral Home where visiting hours will be held Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to time of funeral.
The funeral will be held at 11a.m. at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church.
