A Doctor’s Second Act Leads to a Generous Bequest

“The Turcotte gift comes at a special time for the art department as we plan for the construction of a new art facility on the Gorham campus. This amazing gift will support much-needed equipment and supplies and help us to create facilities where our students can truly thrive.”
—Hannah Barnes, Associate Professor of Art, USM Art Department Chair

After nearly 45 years of marriage, Constance “Connee” Turcotte knew how best to honor her husband through her estate plan. Although Dr. Guy Turcotte had passed away two decades earlier, Connee “put herself in his head,” as their daughter Lecia Turcotte describes it, and made a bequest to the University of Southern Maine (USM) that was as practical, perceptive and caring as he was.

After her mother passed away in November 2022, Lecia shared her parents’ story with us. It begins in a Connecticut hospital emergency room where Guy, a young resident, meets Connee, a hospital employee … and the rest is history.

Guy and Connee married in 1956, moved to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and began their lives together. Connee supported Guy’s practice with bookkeeping and secretarial support, while raising their two daughters, Lecia and Denise, and volunteering in the community.

Guy spent 34 years in the Greater Portland area, developing a private practice, serving in leadership roles at Maine Medical Center and regularly taking time from his practice to work with staff at Pineland Hospital at a time when help was needed to improve the conditions there.

“My father was strong but kind” said Lecia, “He cared deeply about people and he worked to make a difference. He was sensitive and also very adventuresome. He loved to travel the world and he loved art.”

Dr. Guy Turcotte’s Second Act

Guy had often used painting as a way to unwind and relieve the stress of a busy psychiatry practice, but it wasn’t until a couple of years after retirement that he got serious about it.

“What began as a few painting classes at USM’s art department turned into the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree,” explained Lecia. “He was always an achiever, but his decision to go back to school in art was a surprise. Of course, he graduated summa cum laude, what else!”

As a student at USM, Guy recognized the needs of the department and his fellow, much-younger, undergraduates. Art supplies and equipment were expensive and in short supply. When Guy died in 2000, less than a year after completing his degree, Connee decided to make a gift to the department in his name. She contributed a pottery kiln, which is still in use today.

Guy put a priority on the practical, physical things that would improve the learning environment and benefit the most people, explained Lecia. So, 20 years later, when her mother was making decisions about a bequest to the USM art department, she took the same approach.

“My mother’s bequest is intended to be used for art supplies and equipment,” said Lecia. “This is what my dad would have wanted—to help as many students and faculty as possible.”

“The art department is so grateful for Connee Turcotte’s generous bequest in memory of her husband, Guy,” said Professor Hannah Barnes, art department chair. “The Turcotte gift comes at a special time for the department as we plan for the construction of a new art facility on the Gorham campus. This amazing gift will support much-needed equipment and supplies and help us to create facilities where our students can truly thrive.”

Working with the planned giving team at the University of Southern Maine Foundation, Connee Turcotte honored her husband’s lifelong passion for the arts in a way that will have tangible benefits to the students and faculty at USM for many years to come.

There are many different planned giving options available for those who wish to make a bequest in memory of a loved one. As you consider a legacy gift to USM, I invite you to reach out to share your USM story, what inspires you and how we might assist you in reaching your philanthropic goals. Contact Erin Macey at (207) 780-4408 or erin.macey@maine.edu for more information.