Roland Dumont Obituary, Death – On December 12, 2022, Roland J. Dumont, who lived in Bristol and was 90 years old, passed away and was reunited with Shirley Butler, the woman he had loved his entire life. Even though Roland passed away while he was in the company of his family, the word “peaceful” may not be the best one to use to describe him. Roland, a shrewd and quick-witted businessperson who possessed a genuine spirit of entrepreneurship, never lacked the confidence to take on a fresh challenge. On December 24, 1931, he was born as everyone’s “Christmas gift” to his doting and hard-working parents, Jean Baptiste Dumont and Beatrice (Gibeault) Dumont. He was their first child. At Bristol High School, he participated in a number of sports and found a passion for football.
After graduating from Bristol High School, he went on to attend Brown University, where he continued to play football. In October of 1956, he was on the verge of relocating to upstate New York to run a MetLife office; nevertheless, he ultimately made the decision to remain in Bristol and establish the Roland Dumont Agency, Inc. Roland’s business was founded on his basic beliefs of hard work, honesty, having a happy attitude, and serving the community. He initially operated the company out of the attic of his home. The company expanded to incorporate a substantial real estate and property management activity as it developed over time.
Jerome Estates was one of the numerous properties he oversaw, and it was there that he became familiar with the locals and frequently offered assistance to them. Even after he had handed over the reins of the company to his late son Jim, Roland continued to pay a daily visit to the office right up until a few short years ago. Roland has always had a soft place for community projects that are geared toward young people. Those who wore a T-shirt sponsored by the agency are able to attest to the fact that he provided considerable support to a good number of them. Additionally, he never left a restaurant without “breaking bread” with old friends and making new ones at the same time.
Roland was a well-known figure in the Bristol community and had a deep affection for the city in which he was raised. In addition to being one of the Founding Families of Saint Paul Catholic High School, he and his wife, Shirley, were extremely generous with their time and money in order to help the school develop into the powerful institution that it is today. Shirley (Butler), Roland’s lovely and charming wife of 62 years; son Jim Dumont; and sister Mary Jane Bellemare all passed away before Roland. His children, Cheryl Dumont Smith and her husband Attorney Ed Smith, his son Scott Dumont and his wife Lori (Fiano), and his daughter-in-law Melanie (Wentworth) Dumont, all survive him. He is survived by his eight devoted grandkids, who are Attorney Meghan (Kyle), Ryan (Kerianne), and Dr. Patrick (Karla) Smith; Matt (Stephanie) Dumont and Elizabeth (Patrick) Flynn; and Hannah, Olivia, and Christian Dumont.
hey will all remember his consistent guidance as a coach because he would seldom miss one of their sporting activities and would always make an effort to get to know the majority of viewers at the game. In addition, he leaves behind 11 great grandchildren, and there is already one more on the way. We will all remember Roland holding a drink in one hand and smiling broadly in the other, always looking for the bright side of things even when the weather report predicted rain. He really was the ultimate optimist and lived his life according to the words of one of his favorite songs by Frank Sinatra, which was called “My Way.”
A special thank you goes out to Roland’s dedicated friend and assistant, Lisa Gracie, who provided him with excellent care. We would also want to extend our gratitude to Ashley Chadbourne, Deborah Hernandez- Walker, Liz Iwanow, and Pam Young for the compassionate and skilled care that they provided to Roland in his final months of life. On Monday, December 19, 2022, at 10 AM, there will be a Mass held in celebration of Roland’s life at Saint Ann Church, which is located at 215 West Street in Bristol. Sunday, December 18th, from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM, friends and family are invited to call at the Funk Funeral Home, located at 35 Bellevue Avenue in Bristol.
The burial will be kept secret and performed at a time that is convenient for the family. If one so chooses, memorial contributions can be made in Roland’s honor to either Saint Paul Catholic High School, located at 1001 Stafford Avenue in Bristol, or to the Dumont Family Charitable Fund at the Main Street Community Foundation, which supports youth development programs for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and can be mailed to P.O. Box 2702 in Bristol, Connecticut 06011-2702.
