Fort Kent--- Venette (Plourde) King, 86, died on January 30, 2024.  She was born in Fort Kent on March 6, 1937, the eighth of nine children born to Alphonse and Theresa (Charette) Plourde.  Her mother encouraged her to pursue her education from an early age. She attended the Longfellow School and graduated from the Fort Kent State Normal School in 1956. She earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Maine at Orono. She pursued graduate studies at Orono during the summer months, where she met her future husband, Garfield C. King.

Venette began her teaching career at the college Model School in Fort Kent, a position she held through the summer of 1969. She served as a cooperating teacher for student teachers every semester and was as an adjunct instructor for the college education program. From 1969-1992, Venette taught second grade at Fort Kent Elementary School, and continued to serve as a cooperating teacher for university student teachers most semesters.

Venette exemplified citizenship and community service in her professional and personal life. Most of her service to others was unofficial and usually in the form of a supportive gesture or a word of encouragement. Her official contributions to community service and civic life are countless. Venette was an active St. Louis Parish Ladies of Saint Anne member. For over thirty years, she was highly active in the local, regional, and state levels of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW) Club USA. Through her leadership role, she worked to promote and fund scholarships for young women to attend Dirigo Girl's State and college scholarships for women graduates of Community High School. Venette served numerous terms as the local and state BPW President and actively recruited young business and professional women to join this organization. Through her leadership, Venette worked with many local, state, and federal government leaders to promote issues of importance to women in the workplace.

She was an active member of the Fort Kent Historical Society and was instrumental in the installation of the historic schoolhouse and in archiving photographs that tell the story of Fort Kent. She served on the University of Maine Board of Visitors and served as a board member of the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) Senior College. She was on the Publication Committee of the book University of Maine at Fort Kent: A Century and A Quarter of Progress. In 1996, she received the UMFK Outstanding Alumni Award, recognizing her contributions to the alumni association and the university. For many years, she was an active member of the Peoples' Benevolent Hospital/Northern Maine Medical Center Hospital Guild. Venette was active in the Fort Kent Teachers' Association, whose members raised funds for college scholarships and promoted enrichment opportunities for local students. Venette was active in the Fort Kent Music Boosters, promoting music in local schools and raising funds for students to attend summer music camp. As a retired educator, she was particularly active in the Aroostook County Retired Educators' Association, advocating for retired educators and the education profession at the legislative level. Throughout her career and retirement, Venette was dedicated to informing students of scholarship opportunities available to them, particularly those students who would be the first in their families to pursue post-secondary education.   Venette spoke fondly of all her former students but was particularly proud of those who achieved their goals by overcoming many obstacles and barriers.

Venette was predeceased by her husband, Garfield, and her youngest son, Chad and by her siblings Annette Plourde Bard, Norman Plourde, Claude Plourde, Reginald Plourde, Valere Plourde, and Gerard Plourde.  Her surviving siblings are Joel Plourde and Burnette Plourde Bowker. She is survived by two sons, Clay King (daughter in-law Rhonda) of Wallagrass and Craig King of Auburn, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and the many nieces and nephews with whom she maintained a close relationship for decades.

At her request, there will be no visiting hours. The funeral mass will take place at 10 AM on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at St. Louis Catholic Church, Fort Kent. In lieu of flowers, friends and family may contribute to the University of Maine at Fort Kent Scholarship Fund to honor Venette's lifelong commitment to education. The family would also like to acknowledge the care and kindness extended to Venette at Crosswinds Residential Care and Northern Maine Medical Center. Arrangements are entrusted to Lajoie Daigle Funeral Home, 114 E. Main St., Fort Kent.