THE REV. ROBERT D. ETHIER - Lincoln 01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, October 31, 2004 THE REV. ROBERT D. ETHIER, 88, formerly of School Street, pastor emeritus of St. Ambrose Church, died Friday in the St. Antoine Home, North Smithfield. Born in Woonsocket, a son of the late Jean Baptiste and Edwardina (Rivard) Ethier, he had lived in Woonsocket and Lincoln for many years before moving to Pawtucket and later, North Smithfield. Father Ethier attended St. Bernard Seminary, in Rochester, N.Y., and was ordained on Feb. 24, 1945, at the Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, Providence. He had been asssistant pastor at St. Sebastian Church, Providence, and Our Lady of Victories Church, Woonsocket, and became pastor of St. Ambrose Church, in Albion, in 1968. He had served as pastor for 18 years, retiring as pastor emeritus in 1986, and had lived at Our Lady of Consolation rectory, Pawtucket, before moving to the St. Antoine Residence. Father Ethier attended Sacred Heart Academy, Woonsocket, and Assumption College, Worcester, Mass. He leaves three sisters, Jeannette Parmentier of Blackstone, Mass., Rita LeDoux of Woonsocket and Anita Choiniere of Winston-Salem, N.C.; a brother, Antonio Ethier of Woonsocket; and several nieces and nephews. he was the brother of the late Rose Cournoyer, Alice Brodeur, John B. Ethier Jr., and Paul and Wilfred Ethier. A Mass of Christian Burial will be concelebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Precious Blood Church, Carrington Avenue, Woonsocket. Burial will be in St. Ambrose Cemetery, Albion.