RAOUL R. BESSETTE (aka Ralph) was born on September 6, 1933 at 12 Lucretia Ave, Willimansett, a section of Chicopee, Mass. His parents, Raoul M. and Jeanne Simone Houle had been married the previous year.
His early childhood was spent in Willimansett and in late 1937 the family, consisting then of 2 children and one on the way,moved to the Ward 1 Section of Holyoke (known as the Flats). There he attended the Immaculate Conception Parochial School and later Holy Rosary High School, graduating in 1951. This was the middle of the Korean War so he enlisted in the U.S. Army the following summer. Following his release from the Army he married Doris McLean and attended college locally earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. Armed with the Accounting credentials they moved to Schenectady with two children in tow and commenced work with General Electric Company as a Business Trainee. This was the start of a 34 year career involving numerous relocations and two overseas assignments in France and Taiwan. By 1992 business acquisition and reorganization resulted in Ralph receiving early retirement . The following summer, they made their final move to Leesburg, Florida where they currently are retired.

RAOUL R. BESSETTE (aka Ralph) was born on September 6, 1933 at 12 Lucretia Ave, Willimansett, a section of Chicopee, Mass. His parents, Raoul M. and Jeanne Simone Houle had been married the previous year.
His early childhood was spent in Willimansett and in late 1937 the family, consisting then of 2 children and one on the way,moved to the Ward 1 Section of Holyoke (known as the Flats). There he attended the Immaculate Conception Parochial School and later Holy Rosary High School, graduating in 1951. This was the middle of the Korean War so he enlisted in the U.S. Army the following summer. Following his release from the Army he married Doris McLean and attended college locally earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. Armed with the Accounting credentials they moved to Schenectady with two children in tow and commenced work with General Electric Company as a Business Trainee. This was the start of a 34 year career involving numerous relocations and two overseas assignments in France and Taiwan. By 1992 business acquisition and reorganization resulted in Ralph receiving early retirement . The following summer, they made their final move to Leesburg, Florida where they currently are retired.