Rene Goupil: A champion from an early age
By Brittany Brown
Coaches often tell their players that participation in athletics will help them during their lifetime, no matter what path they choose to follow. That was certainly true for Rene Goupil, a member of the title-winning 1962 Thornton football team. When Bob Kimball, a fullback for the team, dove over the goal line and the team took home the gold ball and state title, his teammates erupted in celebration. Their determination, discipline, and hard work had paid off, and the team completed a perfect 9-0 season with that 13-7 win. Rene Goupil ' 65, a sophomore during that magical season, valued the work and attention to detail that was necessary to be a part of the team. He continued to exhibit those qualities until the day he died in January 1990. Goupil was a structured individual who served his country and the State of Maine, and his dedication was recently recognized on a national level.
His widow, Norma Goupil, smiled as she recalled seeing him score the winning touchdown during an annual Battle of the Bridge match, though she was sitting on the Tiger sidelines rooting for her home team. Like many during this time, Goupil enlisted when he graduated from TA and joined the Marines. to recount his " spit-shined shoes, waxed floors and immaculate police cruiser."
Goupil ' s career lasted the remainder of his life, more than 19 years, and he was only six months away from retirement at the time of his passing. He held different roles while working as a Maine State Trooper. Goupil was part of the group that started the K9 unit; he modeled uniforms for a magazine, and held many patrols before landing back at the academy as a training staff member. Norma cites Rene’ s role with the training academy as his“ proudest moment,” and shared that he was invested in putting out a“ good, quality state trooper.” By that time in his career, he had reached the rank of Lieutenant.
Following a routine two-mile training run in January, 1990, Lt. Goupil suffered a heart attack and passed away. He had recently completed an intensive physical training for the FBI Academy, and according to Norma, was in great health. Years after his death, Maine State Trooper Mike Edes hand-delivered a nomination to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to have Lt. Goupil ' s name added to the marble memorial in Washington, D. C. The nomination was accepted and in May
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Goupil completed his first tour in Vietnam and came home to his high school sweetheart, Norma. During his time between tours, he asked her father for her hand in marriage, and when they wed, Goupil donned his dress blues. Soon after, Goupil was enlistmented for a second tour in Vietnam and learned that he was expecting his first child. He was fortunate to have a close friend serving with him who aided in getting Goupil home to a very pregnant Norma.
After returning home from the two tours in Vietnam, Goupil worked as a dispatcher for the Scarborough Troop A Barracks for a year. Realizing he had found his calling, Goupil enrolled at the Maine State Police Academy. " He liked the state police because it was very military," Norma Goupil said, and she went on