The youngest of the children of the late Leon and Marie (Melanson) Cormier, Father Cormier was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, on Jan. 22, 1934. The family moved to Waltham and settled in the Watch City as members of St. Joseph (French) Parish.

He attended the parish school, named St. Pierre, and then went a few blocks to St. Mary High School, the boys' division, taught by the Christian Brothers. Following his 1953 graduation, he entered the archdiocesan seminaries and Richard Cardinal Cushing ordained him and his classmates at Holy Cross Cathedral on Feb. 2, 1961.

During the next 39 years, he would serve in parish assignments across the archdiocese, with a brief assignment as chaplain at the Goddard Hospital, Brockton, in 1974, with residence at Our Lady of the Rosary, Stoughton.

His parish assignments, serving as an assistant, an associate, or a parochial vicar included: St. Joseph (French) and St. Anne (French), both in Salem; St. Malachy, Burlington; St. Denis, Westwood; St. Thomas Aquinas, Nahant; St. Mary, Winchester; St. Therese of Lisieux, Everett; and St. Peter, Plymouth.

He served for six years as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Pepperell.

Father Cormier was very close to his large family of siblings and nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his siblings all older than he: Rita Landry, Philip, Irene Paulin, and Yvon.

Father Cormier's funeral Mass was celebrated on April 17 at St. Mary Church, Waltham. Following the Mass, he was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham, with his parents.