Grandfather Who Loved Bowling Among Those Killed

Family members have identified some of the victims that were killed after a string of shootings in Maine on Wednesday.

Among them are Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retiree and avid bowler, and bar manager Joseph Walker. Officials said at least 18 people died, and more than a dozen were injured.

Eight of the deceased have been identified so far, police said, but their names have not been released. Some family members have since spoken to several media outlets about their loved ones.

Violette was identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra. She told the Lewiston Sun Journal that he died protecting a group of children that he was with at the Just-In-Time bowling alley. He leaves behind three sons and six grandchildren, she said. His wife, Lucy, was injured in the attack.

Cassandra described Violette as a life-long Lewiston resident who had deep ties to the community, and who made people around him feel cared for.

“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He was just there for everything,” she said.

A former Sears mechanic, Violette devoted his time to bowling in his retirement.

He began running a youth bowling league many years ago, his daughter-in-law said, and even got his eldest grandsons to participate in the game. He saved up to buy new iPads and iPhones to get good videos of them bowling, Cassandra said.

“He loved those kids, all of them,” she said.

BBC

Written by: Kevin Nwabueze

Bowling Grandfather Who Loved