Denis "Zorro" Fournier

Mr. Denis Fournier (aka “Zorro”) of Gorham NH passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024. He was 87.

Born during the Great Depression on February 16, 1937, in Montreal, Canada as the third child of Henri and Diane Fournier, Denis was raised in a traditional Catholic household in various villages of Quebec with his brothers Luc, Serge, and Francois.  Following in his father’s footsteps, he became a bilingual station agent/telegraph operator with the Canadian National Railway (CN), enjoying a 43-year career that would take him from Ontario to NH - where he started a family and spent the remainder of his life.

One of the proudest days that Zorro could recall was when he finally achieved his U.S. citizenship back in 1969.  Eager to express his allegiance to America, he volunteered to fight in the Vietnam War - but was rejected for being too old at the time.  While he had no regrets about all that he sacrificed to achieve his dreams, Zorro never forgot the family and friends he left behind up North, and made every effort possible to attend all of their significant life events.

Denis never shied away from a hard day’s work and could often be seen tirelessly toiling on his Jimtown Road property: tending to his precious potato plants, producing turpentine-tasting wine from his apple trees, or instructing his offspring on the proper way to stack the woodpile.  Upon retirement from the railroad, Denis worked well into his 80s at Perras Ace Hardware and Self-Storage and, in earlier days, moonlighted as a bartender in Berlin at the Snowshoe Club.

When he wasn’t proving his proficiency in Morse code at telegraph conventions, Zorro loved to sing old Hank Williams songs, collect train memorabilia for his caboose, play broom ball at the Notre Dame Arena, or curse “en français” at the Boston Bruins when they failed to score a goal.

Deeply dedicated to civic participation, Zorro served the Town of Gorham for 40 years as an ambulance driver and volunteer fireman.  He was also a merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts, with all three of his sons achieving the honor of Eagle Scout.

Those who were fortunate enough to be considered close friends, such as John Anderson and Jon Usereau, could always count on Zorro to come through in a crisis.  Unapologetically direct and outspoken, he was unafraid to defend the causes or people he cared about, no matter what it cost or who it offended.

He leaves behind his loving and patient wife of 59 years, Hilda; sons Henri (Amanda) of Elizabethtown, KY, Dennis of Marion,TX, Robert of Gorham, NH; daughter Katrina “Katy” of Gorham NH; brothers Luc (Hilde) of Ontario, Serge (Constance) of Quebec, and François (Claudette) of Quebec; grandchildren Tanner, Trista, Denis, Diane, and Ethan; precious nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren.

Denis will long be remembered as a larger-than-life legend and true pioneer who paved his own path, affecting almost everyone he encountered along the way.

There are no services. The Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Online guestbook at www.bryantfuneralhome.net. In lieu of flowers, feel free to celebrate the Legend of Zorro with a cold Sam Adams Light - or better yet, a well-deserved donation to the Conway Area Humane Society – in loving memory of his many German Shepherds and wolf dogs, of course.

“Ton amour, ta sagesse et ta prèsence resteront à jamais graves dans nos coeurs. Repose en paix”