Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Clinton and Benton School

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Clinton Academy, in 1942, was one of four elementary schools in town; they consolidated in 1957, and the next year the town sold the District #5 building to the Benton Falls Congregational Church, pictured here, for one dollar.

by Mary Grow

This subseries on education is organized by the dates the central Kennebec Valley towns were incorporated, and Clinton, in 1795, was next after Fairfield, in 1788. Therefore the history of education in Clinton, on the east side of the Kennebec River, opposite the northern part of Fairfield, follows the December 2024 articles on Fairfield.

However, until 1842, the southern part of Clinton – approximately half the town, and the first-settled part – was what became by a March 16, 1842, legislative act the separate town of Sebasticook, renamed Benton as of June 19, 1850. The early history of Clinton schools is therefore the early history of Benton schools as well.

* * * * * *

Clinton’s European settlement was shaped by the Kennebec River on its western boundary, and by the Sebasticook River, which maps show making a wiggly W shape in southeastern Clinton before flowing southish through present Benton into the east side of the Kennebec at Winslow.

Europeans made their way up both rivers. In his 1970 Clinton history, Major General Carleton Edward Fisher wrote that waterfalls and rapids made navigation challenging on parts of both. One of the easier stretches on the Sebasticook was between Winslow and the southern part of Clinton, up to the village now named Benton Falls.

Additionally, because the Sebasticook was the smaller river, it was easier to dam to provide water power, Fisher said. Consequently, the majority of early Clinton settlers stopped in the area that became Benton.

Fisher found it impossible to date the first settlement precisely, but he believed several families had arrived by the early 1770s. In Clinton, as in other central Kennebec valley towns, providing schools was not settlers’ top priority; Fisher mentioned 1790 and 1794 town meeting appropriations, with no record that any money was for schools.

Only after Clinton was incorporated in 1795, Fisher said, did voters specifically fund education. At a town meeting that year, they raised 20 pounds, then added 30 pounds more.

In March 1797, he wrote, town meeting voters provided $300 for teaching and $350 to build schoolhouses – and in April reconsidered and defeated the building money. In 1798, they allowed $150 for education, in 1799 and 1800, $200 each year. In 1800, they approved a separate $500 for school buildings.

Meanwhile, another 1797 vote empowered the selectmen to create school districts. In each district, voters elected a man to be “head of class.” Fisher’s description of the 1800 districts shows three on the Kennebec, numbered First, Second and Third, with three men in charge of six classes (one had one, one two and one three); and four more districts on the Sebasticook, two on the east side and two on the west, with more than nine classes (incomplete records left the total undetermined).

Students, defined as children aged four to 21, numbered 102 in the three Kennebec districts in 1800. Fisher found figures for only two of the four Sebasticook districts; they totaled 65. By 1803, he wrote, Clinton had more than 260 students.

As in other towns, district boundaries changed frequently, and so did methods of running the districts. Sometimes district residents chose their leaders, sometimes town meeting voters made the choices.

The first school committee was elected in 1821, Fisher wrote; this method continued until 1854, when voters instead elected a single school supervisor. They went back and forth between the two types of leadership until 1895.

Clinton had 13 school districts in 1820, Fisher said, increased to 15 in 1821 when the town school committee was created. That year, records showed 633 students; four districts had 60 or more, and the smallest had 13. By 1841, there were 21 districts.

At no point did Fisher identify the southern districts that were to become Sebasticook’s in 1842. His descriptions of historic boundaries, though meaningful to residents at the time, provide few clues in the 21st century.

After the 1842 division, 12 of the 21 districts remained Clinton’s and nine went to the new town. Clinton still had 12 in 1856, Fisher wrote. Number 12 was in Clinton Village; because of population growth there, it was divided and District 13 created in 1860, but in 1867 the two were reunited.

Fisher wrote that the buildings funded in 1800 didn’t get built, so in 1803 voters instructed each district to build its own. Because district records were not necessarily included in the town records, he found it hard to figure out what buildings were built when, though he cited examples from 1821 to 1839.

Schoolhouses were built near populous areas, obviously – Clinton Village on the Sebasticook, Pishon’s Ferry and Noble’s Ferry on the Kennebec, Morrison Corner and Town House Hill in mid-town.

The Morrison Corner schoolhouse was the earliest Fisher listed; voters in 1821 raised $166.51 for it. It appears on the 1856 and 1879 maps of Clinton as the second building north on the east side of the four-way intersection.

In 1895, Fisher said, voters approved a replacement building, apparently on a nearby lot, that was completed in August 1896. It served until 1963; in 1970, the building was a house.

A photo Fisher took in 1975 and included in his history shows a main building on a (not necessarily original) windowed basement, with a small single-story addition on one end. There are two second-floor windows above the addition, under the roof-peak, and no windows on the side of the main building.

Fisher dated the nearby Town House Hill school to 1826. He said it operated until 1932, and the 1826 building was a residence in 1970. His 1975 photo of this former schoolhouse shows a rectangular, single-story peaked-roofed building.

Like other historians, Fisher noted that from the 1700s into the early 1900s, most teachers doubled as janitors, responsible for cleaning, simple maintenance and building the fires in fireplaces or stoves all winter. They were not highly paid – he mentioned one woman earning $7 a week in the early 20th century.

Fisher identified discipline as a problem, giving several examples of teen-aged students, mostly but not all boys, testing teachers by giving them a hard time. He cited a teacher’s diary from 1861 describing misbehavior that ended with a hole in the floor. After some of the students responsible were made to pay to fix the floor, they apparently settled down.

* * * * * *

Fisher wrote that in the fall of 1831, a group of residents planned to open a high school for girls, to be named Clinton Female Academy – an unusual proposition for the time. Resident Asher Hinds deeded an eight-by-nine rod (132-by-148.5 foot) lot in what is now Benton Falls. (Fisher did not say whether it was a gift, or the school trustees paid for it.)

Hinds was a major landowner whose 300 acres included almost 100 acres in Benton Falls. He and his wife, Rebecca (Crosby) Hinds, had nine children, born between 1789 and 1809, of whom three daughters (and four sons) lived to maturity.

The girls’ school trustees ran out of money, Fisher said, and Clinton Academy became a coed school run by the Methodist Society. An on-line Benton history says the Academy building was put up in 1831, beside the Benton Falls meeting house.

The earliest school catalogue Fisher found was for 1845: of 83 students, six were from Clinton, as were two members of the board of trustees. (The rest were presumably residents of Sebasticook, soon to become Benton.)

In 1845, he wrote, the school met for two 11-week terms, the fall one starting in September and the spring one in March. Tuition for a term depended on what the student studied: $4 for languages, $3.50 for natural sciences, $3 for the basic course (defined in a 1918 textbook, found on line, as including reading, writing, history, geography, civics, arithmetic, physiology and hygiene).

The on-line history says the town library, organized in 1849, was headquartered in the Academy building.

The Academy closed in 1858, and the on-line history says the building later became the District 5 schoolhouse. It burned in 1870, and “the library was lost.”

In 1871, the history continues, the schoolhouse was rebuilt, though its “upstairs hall” wasn’t finished until 1883. In 1942, it was one of four elementary schools in town; they were consolidated in 1957, and the next year the town sold the District 5 building to the Benton Falls Congregational Church, for a dollar.

(Meanwhile, the library had reopened in 1900, in a storehouse that had been Asher Hinds’ when he ran a store at Benton Falls. That building burned in 1914. An on-line search for Benton library yields a reference to the Brown Memorial Library, in Clinton [see Clinton’s website and the Dec. 2, 2021, issue of The Town Line for more information on this library].)

Clinton officials obeyed state law and opened a free high school in 1873, with voters appropriating $300 for it, Fisher wrote. Henry Kingsbury, in his 1892 Kennebec County history, said it started in 1874 with a $500 appropriation.

As in other towns, high school classes initially met in district schools for a single term (seven to 10 weeks in Clinton). Fisher, like the Fairfield Register writer cited on Fairfield high school two weeks ago, commented that courses offered were at first barely above eighth-grade level.

By 1892, Kingsbury said, there were spring and fall terms each year, taught in district schools and well attended.

In 1898, according to Fisher, high school classes moved to the village school. The first graduating class, of five students, was in 1902. The first high school building in Clinton opened in 1903 (all 12 grades held classes there until about 1940).

A 1969 photo credited to Paul W. Bailey shows a three-story wooden building with basement windows, by then Clinton’s Baker Street School for elementary students. Historical information on the town website says the building was 68-by-40 feet and had three classrooms on each of the first two floors and one on the top floor. The privy was in a separate building behind the school.

After creation of Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) #49 in 1966, high school students went to Fairfield. The Clinton building burned – probably by arson — on July 25, 1975.

* * * * * *

Kingsbury wrote that when Benton became a separate town in March 1842, it included nine of Clinton’s school districts, and by 1892 a tenth had been added. As of 1892, he wrote, each district had “a comfortable and well-appointed school house, uniform text books are used, and the entire school property is valued at about $3,500.”

Up to 1892, Benton had a high school in the Benton Falls schoolhouse, in District 5, Kingsbury said. He did not say when it opened; presumably in 1873. In 1892 voters appropriated no money to continue it, “the proximity of Waterville offering advantages in higher education with which it was useless for Benton to compete.”

Main sources

Fisher, Major General Carleton Edward, History of Clinton, Maine (1970)
Kingsbury, Henry D., ed., Illustrated History of Kennebec County Maine 1625-1892 (1892)

Websites, miscellaneous.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Regular Eye Exams are Essential to Living Your Best Life with Diabetes

/0 Comments/in /by

If you have diabetes, it’s wise to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist to make sure they’re not affected by the disease.

(NAPSI)—Many people don’t know it but diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss. Fortunately, early detection could save your vision. Unfortunately, most people with diabetes do not get a yearly comprehensive eye exam as recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Diabetic eye diseases often have no obvious signs or symptoms. The good news, however, is that an annual routine eye exam can help identify eye disease early so you can take steps to prevent or delay vision loss caused by diabetes.

“My patients are often surprised by how comfortable these eye exams are,” said Andrew Iwach, MD, an ophthalmologist in San Francisco and a volunteer with EyeCare America, a program offering no-cost eye exams to qualified, underserved Americans. “Taking charge of your diabetes includes taking charge of your eye health. Most people say they rely on their vision more than any other sense, so don’t wait until you notice symptoms. Get your eyes checked every year.”

How Does Diabetes Affect Eyesight?

Diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin effectively to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can cause damage in many parts of the body, including the blood vessels in the eye. When this happens, the blood vessels can swell or leak, leading to vision loss. This is called diabetic retinopathy.

People with diabetes are also at higher risk of other eye diseases, including cataracts and glaucoma.

People with diabetes who don’t have eye disease can also experience a change in their vision. A quick change in blood sugar levels can cause temporary blurry vision. Taking care of your overall health by keeping up with exams, medications, and dietary guidelines as your doctor recommends is key to protecting your good vision.

A Simple and Painless Way To Avoid Blindness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about 90 percent of vision loss from diabetes can be prevented if it is diagnosed early.

Routine eye exams can include reading an eye chart, shining a light into your eye to check your pupil, testing your eye movement and side vision, an eye pressure test, looking at your eye through a slit-lamp microscope, and using dilating eye drops to check on the health of your retina, which is the back of your eye. You may experience slight sensitivity to light after dilation, but otherwise, these exams are pain-free.

Getting a comprehensive eye exam before eye disease develops will not only give you peace of mind, but an ophthalmologist can also help you understand your risk factors and recommend health tips moving forward to help prevent disease.

Can’t Afford an Eye Exam? EyeCare America® Can Help

Unfortunately, many of the 37 million people living in the United States with diabetes don’t have the time or the means to get an annual eye exam.

People of color are at a greater risk of going blind from diabetes. The number of people with diabetic retinopathy is predicted to increase by 48 percent by 2030.

Individuals who are at high risk for eye disease or are over the age of 65 may be eligible for a no out-of-pocket cost medical eye exam through the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeCare America® program. This public service program matches volunteer ophthalmologists with eligible patients in need of eye care across the United States. To see if you or a loved one qualifies, visit www.aao.org/eyecare-america/patients.

LETTERS: Where is the town of Somerville heading?

/0 Comments/in , /by

To the editor:

The township is floundering and there is no clear direction or leadership for Somerville residents. The captain was tossed overboard during a mutiny election. The executive officer resigned and the staff petty officers abandoned ship, save for one remaining in a lifeboat doing her best to keep the ship off the rocks awaiting new recruits. In an upcoming election on January 7, 2025, a new XO will be elected to back up the captain who deposed the mutinied captain. The mutinied captain had managerial experience, municipal knowledge and boatloads of government bureaucratic insight. Though deposed of official duties while in attendance in war room meetings, his knowledge and expertise were volunteered and solicited to chart course directions. With unknowns seeking the open XO slot, perhaps the township folks may be wise to write in the name of the deposed captain on the election ballot to get the ship upright and sailing forward again.

Joe LaMacchia
Somerville

LETTERS: Mainers at higher risk of social isolation

/0 Comments/in , /by

To the editor:

In Maine, approximately 135,000 people 50 and older live alone and are at higher risk of social isolation and loneliness. If there is one thing the pandemic made clear, it is that personal connections are vital to our mental and physical well-being.

With the holidays upon us, feelings of loneliness and isolation can be heightened, particularly if we have lost a loved one in the past year. A survey conducted by AARP found that three-in-ten respondents (31%) say they have felt lonely during past holiday seasons. In addition, four-in-ten (41%) respondents say they have worried about a friend or family member feeling lonely during the holidays. Fortunately, the holidays give us a reason to connect.

AARP Maine has posted a guide with resources for Mainers who may be experiencing loneliness. Some of the resources include a tool to measure your risk for isolation, an invitation to receive a friendly phone call from an AARP volunteer, opportunities to volunteer, and information on local services. The guide includes additional support for family caregivers. You can find the guide here: https://states.aarp.org/maine/isolation.

We often experience more kindness from strangers during the holidays. Perhaps if each one of us can commit to being that “kind stranger” we can all have a meaningful impact in another person’s life. A simple act of kindness – a friendly call, an offer to help with shopping, sharing a laugh over a cup of tea – can make all the difference to someone who is lonely.

André Chassé
AARP Maine
Volunteer State President

EVENTS: Waterville Area Soup Kitchen to hold fundraiser

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Waterville Area Soup Kitchen will be holding its first fundraiser on Thursday, March 20, at the Elks Club, on Industrial Street, in Waterville. The event is a tropical themed winter getaway. The doors will open at 5 p.m.

The soup kitchen is open five days a week. Alight breakfast is provided in the morning and a hot lunch at noon time.

In 2024, the soup kitchen served over 80,000 meals.

The evening will include door prizes, appetizers and a cash back, entertainment, 50/50 drawing and live and silent auction.

For more information, and ticket information, email Info@WatervilleAreaSoupKitchen.org.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Brawl at the bird feeding stations

/0 Comments/in /by
Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

It’s a new year!

Boy, that was a news flash.

Anyway, we’ve turned the calendar to a new year, the holidays have passed, and we are now settling into the reality of at least three months of winter.

We are sure to suffer some aches and pains of moving the snow – and anything else that nature throws our way.

With all of this turbulence, there is one thing that still brightens my day, and that is watching the birds at the feeding stations.

Following a couple of years where my wife stopped feeding the birds because of the constant battle with squirrels (I know, squirrels have to eat, too), she decided to give it another try. This year, she was introduced to a new bird seed, one that repels squirrels, and decided to try it. Besides relocating the feeders that make them less accessible to the little gray rodents, the new seeds have been a success.

I have seen two squirrels (that would be Martha and Stewart) sit on the porch railing and assess the situation, knowing that what is going through their clever little minds is trying to figure out how to attack the stations. Well, they have tried, and they have failed.

In the meantime, the activity around the feeders has been remarkable. Every day we see a plethora of birds coming and going: chickadees, nuthatches, gold finch, cardinals, house finches, the occasional tufted titmouse, and the most unlikely of all, a hairy woodpecker. We have lots of crows and bluejays around, but so far have stayed away from the feeders.

Sometimes there are more birds than there are feeding stations. That causes a problem, for the birds that is. They engage in a little bit of rough housing. Maybe that is what is keeping the crows and blue jays at bay.

That is fine with me.

Ironically, my wife and I, following a hectic weekend, sat and watched the Alfred Hitchcock classic film, The Birds, last Sunday night. As we watched the birds, mostly crows – ravens? – and seagulls, take over the small hamlet of Bodega Bay, supposedly located north of San Francisco, driving out all its residents, I really didn’t make a correlation between that, and the birds that have, literally, taken over my side porch at the house.

What if…?

That could never happen, could it?

Monday morning saw me standing at my kitchen window, watching as the onslaught continued at the bird feeders. My imagination, which has been described as a little on the strange side at times, began to take over. What if those little feathered creatures decided there wasn’t enough food or feeding stations, and decided to try to enter the house to get at the feed bag? Maybe they could even engage the cooperation of the squirrels. Maybe we’ll need some eye protection!

Slap! Slap! Wake up, and get a hold of yourself. They are only tiny little creatures. They couldn’t possibly do the kind of damage those big birds did in that film.

Could they?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Has there ever been a shutout in the Super Bowl?

Answer
No.The closest was New England Patriots over the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, 13-3.

Concerns about proposed Pine Tree subdivision in Palermo

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Hank Holden, Palermo resident

by Jeanne Marquis

James Boyle, former Maine State House Representative, presented preliminary plans at the Palermo Planning Board November 13 meeting for a 27-acre subdivision on Hostile Valley Road (Tax Map R11, lot 27C) in a sparsely developed Sheepcot River watershed area in Palermo. The Pine Hill subdivision would include 15 buildable lots of varying sizes with each lot required to have separate wells and septic systems.

Serious concerns were raised by abutting neighbors and attendees at the meeting as to whether the location, eco-system, and current town facilities could accommodate the density of this proposed development.

When asked by the planning board as to why he opted to develop this particular property, Boyle replied that it was primarily the location, almost equi-distant between Belfast and Augusta. He will not actually be overseeing or developing individual properties himself.

Boyle said, “There is a dire housing shortage in Maine. This project is in its early planning stages. We have a long way to go, and we’ll work with the planning board.” He stated he will plan for a buffer to protect the stream bordering the property. Boyle cited a recent study to support housing shortage in Maine that stated 84,000 homes will be needed by 2030. (https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2024-02-12/maine-needs-84-000-new-homes-by-2030-this-affordable-housing-project-shows-why-that-will-be-difficult).

Surveying work on the property is being completed by K & K Land Surveying Inc., of Oakland, and soil testing on all lots was conducted by Jamie Marple.

At the planning board meeting, Pam St. Denis expressed concern for the wear and tear on Log Cabin Lane, a boundary road, with the additional traffic. Other concerns brought up by attendees included the need for sufficient allowance in road design to accommodate full-size fire trucks and since proposed lot 5 is in a Limited Residential area it would require residences to be set back from the edge of the wet area at least 75 feet. Planning Board President Dale McKenney and Codes Enforcement Officer Darryl McKenney stressed the importance of requiring a road maintenance agreement to be included in each land owner’s deed to these proposed lots.

In an interview, Amanda Brieger pointed out the housing density of the proposed subdivision goes against the existing Comprehensive Plan and could be too dense to be supported by the water table of the particular location. Section 1.C.1 of the Palermo plan from 2002 states as an objective of the plan “To preserve and enhance the rural character of the community.”

Brieger calculated, “There were 975 housing units and 25,987 acres of land in Palermo, resulting in a housing density of one housing unit per 26 acres. The proposed subdivision is 27 acres with a proposal of 15 housing units, which is a housing density of one housing unit per 1.8 acres, or an increase in housing density of 1,344.00 percent. This hardly seems in line with the objective of preserving and enhancing the rural character of the community.”

Brieger also pointed out that recent home sales along the Hostile Valley Road corridor went to out-of-state buyers. She said, “Building housing along Hostile Valley Road does not ensure Maine residents will purchase the properties. In fact, increasing the housing offering in an area that clearly appeals to out-of-state buyers may very well have the opposite effect and attract more out of state buyers, thereby confounding the current Maine housing crisis.

In questioning whether the ecosystem could sustain the housing density, Brieger said, “There have been multiple wells in the Hostile Valley Road which have recently run dry, causing concern about the water table being able to support an additional 15 household draw on water which is already a scarce resource in the area.”

Hank Holden and his wife have owned property abutting to the site of the proposed subdivision for 25 years and are also highly concerned. Holden worries about losing the character of the wooden location, the stress of the added traffic on Hostile Valley Road and the phosphate runoff into Belden Brook which runs into Sheepscot River.

According to the Maine Rivers website, the Sheepscot River is one of the last remaining rivers with populations of native Atlantic salmon, which are nearly extinct. Ongoing efforts from conservation groups are working toward keeping this region relatively pristine to protect the salmon population that exists.

Holden explains, “There is a ridge of ledge running northeast to southwest through this parcel with a sharper grade running to Belden Brook. There may be serious consequences of potential pollution from runoff and septic discharge into Belden Brook, part of the headwaters of the Sheepscot River.” Holden expressed concern that a former representative who had a strong record for environmental votes would propose a subdivision in a sensitive location.

Holden continued to explain how the locals feel, ” A lot of us moved into this area, and I’ve been here for a quarter of a century, because it was quiet. It was out in the woods, so we can commiserate with nature.”

Hank Holden is actively gathering signatures on a petition against the approval of the proposed Pine Tree subdivision. To participate in the petition, contact Holden at heholden@fairpoint.net.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, January 2, 2025

/0 Comments/in /by

JUDITH GRIFFIN

OAKLAND – Judith Griffin, 78, passed away on Monday, December 2, 2024. Judy was born on April 8, 1946, in Portland, to Roger and Patricia Langille.

Judy met the love of her life Tom Griffin, in eighth grade while attending school in York. It had to be fate because they stayed together through high school, college, and 54 years of marriage.

Judy was known for her love of the outdoors, her springer spaniels, and her gardens. She loved being on the water. Whether it was water skiing up and down the York River when they were in high school, or cruising on their pontoon boat with their dogs at her home of almost 52 years on McGrath Pond, in Oakland, she was never one to miss an opportunity to get outside.

She was predeceased by her mother and father, Roger and Patricia Langille; and a sister, Janice Walsh.

Judy will be laid to rest in her former hometown of York, in the First Parish Cemetery this coming spring.

Services are under the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church Street, Oakland Maine.

RUBY M. KELLY

OAKLAND – Ruby Melina Kelly, 95, of Oakland died Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Ruby was born December 2, 1929, in Waterville, to Perley Abbott and Marie Collins-Abbott.

She attended school in Waterville and worked at Biddeford Textile Mill for 18 years.

Ruby was predeceased by her husband Lewis Kelly and her children Michelle, David, Billy, Linda, and Victor.

She is survived by three children, Paula Panneck, Donna Webb and Michael Kelly; along with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at noon, in Augusta. Burial will follow immediately after.

Services are in the care of Veilleux Redington Lawry Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Waterville, Maine.

DANIEL M. LIZZOTTE

WINSLOW – Daniel M. Lizzotte, 73, passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024, following a long illness. He was born on May 17, 1951, to his parents, Jeannine Bolduc Lizzotte and Frank Lizzotte Jr.

He grew up in Waterville with his nine siblings, Steven Lizzotte and wife Judy, Francesca Lizzotte, Marie Ellis and husband Gary, George Lizzotte and wife LeeAnn, Jessica Reny and husband Brian, Jeffrey Lizzotte, Paula Grenier, Marc Lizzotte and Timothy Lizzotte.

He attended Waterville High School and shortly after graduation he met and fell in love with his wife, Linda Leathers, of Winslow. Together they had two sons, Craig and Nicholas Lizzotte.

In his adolescent years Dan enjoyed playing hockey and skating at Art’s Pool Hall, in the South End of Waterville. He also enjoyed and spent much time hunting and fishing with family and friends. He was a very talented and creative artist, with a large focus on oil painting and wood carvings. His art was vivid and beautiful. He was also an avid gardener who grew some of the most colorful and vibrant flowers.

He was predeceased by his mother and father, his sister Francesca, his brothers Marc and Timothy, and his niece Desiree Grenier. He leaves behind his wife of 51 years, Linda; their two sons, Craig and partner Lisa Pressey, and Nicholas and wife Kayla; and his four grandchildren, Olivia, Ilana, Lucas, and Troy.

ROLAND B. COTE

OAKLAND – Roland B. Cote, 69, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in Oakland. Born on February 27, 1955, in Brunswick.

He married Katherine on November 21, 1998, and was a devoted husband for 26 years. Roland was a loving father to his daughters, Audrey Kathryn Nale and Shelby Robben Cote, and stepchildren, Sarah and Josh. His joy was multiplied as a grandfather to ten grandchildren.

Roland spent many years employed as a woodcutter and truck driver and ultimately retired from Oakland Public Works.

Roland is survived by his wife, Katherine; his daughters, Audrey Kathryn Nale (married to Thomas J. Nale) and Shelby Robben Cote; his stepchildren, Sarah and Josh; ten grandchildren; and his sisters, Deborah Cote, Donna Cote, and Darlene Strout (married to Richard Strout).

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Rodney and Rodger Cote, and his parents, Robert and Audrey Cote (Alexander).

The family has entrusted Wheeler Funeral Home, in Oakland, with the arrangements. Roland’s life will be celebrated privately in accordance with his family’s wishes.

Please visit http://www.wheelerfh.com where you can read Roland’s full obituary, as well as leave memories, photos, and share your sympathies with his family.

TALA W. POULIN

WATERVILLE – Tala W. Poulin, 51, passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2024. She was born, in Waterville, on July 16, 1973, the daughter of Robert Joseph Poulin and Gladys Marie (Harb) Avcollie.

Tala attended schools in Waterville, including Mount Merici and Brookside, graduating from Waterville High School in 1992.

She enjoyed spending time with her family, going for rides with her mom to see the horses and Christmas lights, and going to camp in the summer to sit by the lake. She liked to decorate for all the holidays but Christmas was her favorite. Tala loved her Fish Blue, reality shows, strawberry pie, and collecting all kinds of vases and masks. Her biggest Joy this last year was a road trip to Florida. She spent hours sitting on the Lanai watching the sunsets, listening to music, going to all kinds of new restaurants, without any trips to the hospital for daily infusions. It was the happiest she had been in years.

She was predeceased by her father Robert Joseph Poulin, her stepmother Gale (Kosobud) Poulin, and her stepfather Neil Bernard Avcollie

She is survived by her mother Gladys (Harb) Avcollie, of Waterville; her sister Marla M. Poulin and her partner Craig Hathaway, of Oakland; her uncle Frederick Harb, of Florida; nephews Randy D. Frappier and his partner Alexis Page, of Oakland, Gage R. Estes, of Mercer, Logan Estes and wife Felicia, of Wilton; and niece Jasmine Estes and her fiancé Chris Merrow, of Sidney; as well as many great nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Services and burial will be in the spring, and will be announced at a later date.

JOANNE D. ELLIS

SCARBOROUGH – Joanne Dorothy (Marsh) Ellis, 88, of Scarborough, passed away on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, following a short illness.

Joanne was a lifelong resident of Waterville. Born, raised, graduated, raised her family, worked, served in the community and retired there.

She was well known for knitting beautiful afghans, sweaters, mittens, baby sets and infant bonnets for Northern Light Hospital, in Waterville.

She was predeceased by a son, Joseph Aaron; and sister, Mary.

She is survived by brothers Frank Marsh, of Los Angels, Californnia, and Gerald “Skip” Marsh, of Chesapeake, Virginia; daughter, Becky Ellis, of Waterville; son, Robie McSorley (Denise) ,of Scarborough; grandsons Hugh (Jessica), Hayden and Heath McSorley; great-grandsons Camden and Carter McSorley; and several cousins; nieces and nephews.

Per Joanne’s wishes, there will be no service of life and her family will spread her ashes at her favorite place in Maine.

ROBERT P. PELLETIER

BELGRADE – Robert “Pete” Peter Pelletier, 70, passed away on Thursday, December 12, 2024. Pete was born in Waterville on November 4, 1954, son to Lomer and Joyce (Palmer) Pelletier.

He graduated from Waterville High School and worked in the family business at Pelletier Auto Sales, in Waterville.

Pete was a kind and patient man who will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor and sparkling blue eyes. He was a loving son, husband, and father who instilled in his children and grandchildren the value of living each day as though it were an adventure.

He was predeceased by his mother, Joyce (Palmer) Pelletier; brothers, Ricky and Randy, sister, Laurie; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Pete and Julienne, and brothers-in-law, David and Peter Simpson, Raymond Marr, and Dean Poulin.

Pete is survived by his wife of 52 years, Patsy; daughter, Janis (Todd) Noel; son, Peter (Debi); grandchildren, Lindsey (Tyler) Perkins, Seth (Beth) Noel, and Jack; father, Lomer (Rose) Pelletier; sisters, Lyla (Vernon) Carlow and Lindy (Vikki); brother, Ronny; sisters-in-law, Julie Marr, Nancy (Wilton) McDowell, Linda (Kirby) Rowe, and Jane (Tim) LaPlante; brother-in-law, Jim Simpson; aunt, Jeanne Lachance; as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Please visit Pete’s memorial page at https://svremembrancecenter.com/obituaries/pete-pelletier-2024 where condolences, photos, and special memories may be shared.

BETTY A. TINKER

WATERVILLE – Betty Ann Tinker, 72, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, following a long illness.Betty was born in Waterville, Maine, on Feb. 22, 1952.

She grew up in Waterville and attended Waterville High School. She worked as a teller at local banks. Later in life, alongside her first husband Richard Tinker, she owned and operated Interstate Sunoco and Towing. She loved to travel and visited Florida, Las Vegas, Foxwoods, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl. Betty was a beloved wife and partner to Don Marquis for over 20 years. Betty lived life on her own terms and cared deeply for her family, always offering her opinion.

She was predeceased by her mother Rita Giguere and her father Clarence Giguere, her brother Lester and his wife Ann, as well as her first husband Richard Tinker, to whom she was married for 30 years. She is survived by her husband Don; her son Eric Tinker, his wife Christina, and their daughters, Lindsay, Lauren, Elina, and Isabel and her niece Leslie Main.

A memorial service will be held in early summer 2025, in Waterville.

WILLIAM D. BRANCH

VASSALBORO – William “Bill” Daniel Branch, 91, of Vassalboro, passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Bill was born in 1933, in Port Huron, Michigan, son of Irving Branch and Angeline (Robbins) Branch. Bill was the husband of Betty Mae (Edgerly) Branch.

Bill served as airman first class in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-1955 including service in Korea. Bill worked as a lineman for Central Maine Power Company, retiring in 1989.

Bill taught at Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield, retiring in 1998. Bill attended Port Huron Junior College, in Michigan, and graduated from Southern Maine University, in Portland, with a bachelor’s degree. In the Vassalboro – Waterville area he sang with barbershop quartets and with local area church choirs.

Bill was preceded in death by siblings, Robert Branch and Beth Nichols; and by his daughter, Brenda Branch Dowdle (Tony), of California, Maryland.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Betty, of Vassalboro; three sons, William I. Branch, of Vassalboro, Brian (Jamie), of Madison Wisconsin, Kenneth (Maria), of Hendersonville, Tennessee; nine grandchildren, Charmaine, Makalea (Devin), Matthew (Theresa), Sarah, Nicholas (Lilly), Wyatt, Katherine, Makenzie and Camden; and two great-grandchildren, Genevieve and Maisie.

The family will hold a memorial service at the Pleasant Street United Methodist Church, at 61 Pleasant St., Waterville, at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Interment will be private.

Condolences may be made to the family via http://www.vrlfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are provided by Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, Waterville.

BRUCE H. STEVENS

MACHIAS – Bruce Harland Stevens, 75, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in Machias, following a long illness. Bruce was born and raised in Lincoln, on April 16, 1949, to Harland and Grace Stevens. Upon graduating in 1967, he attended the University of Maine-Presque Isle.

Bruce’s great passion in life was radio. His golden voice, dry wit, and unassuming nature served Bruce in creating a long and successful career in broadcasting. While he created his first “radio station” at home in Lincoln, his first job was at his hometown station, WLKN. Bruce moved away from home and worked at WRDO, in Augusta, WABK, in Farmingdale, and WGAN, in Portland. Bruce left Maine in the 1980s and worked at various larger-market radio stations. He eventually returned to Maine and worked at WNSX, in Ellsworth, and Cruisin’ 93.5, in Waterville, before retiring in 2022.

Bruce was preceded by his parents, Harland and Grace, and his brother-in-law, Carl Andrews.

Bruce is survived by his children, Shannon Stevens, (husband Westley Rutter) and son, Nicholas Stevens (partner Mary Stottele); grandson, Holden Stevens Perry; his beloved sister, Sue Andrews; and his nieces, Stacie Easler and Lindsay Lenfest.

A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held in Augusta in the spring.

Arrangements by Mays Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to CHCS Hospice Services at https://www.chcs-me.org/donate.

RACHAEL J. PREO

WINSLOW – Rachael Jean (Herard) Preo, 87, passed away on Monday, December 2, 2024, in Augusta. Rachael was born on June 3, 1937, to Albertine (Proulx) and Joseph Herard.

Rachael graduated from Waterville High School in 1955, followed by graduation from Thomas College, in Waterville, in 1957. Rachael was a lifelong learner and continued her education at the University of Maine in Augusta, graduating in 1990 with a degree in business administration.

In her early years, Rachael worked for Laverdiere’s Drug Store’s home offices, in Fairfield; Marden Dubord Law Offices, and Sacred Heart Parish, both in Waterville.

Rachael is survived by her husband of 61 years, Alfred (Fred) Preo, of Winslow; her three children, Michele Jolicoeur and her husband Rick, of Vassalboro, Kimberly Rossi, of Gray, and Andrew Preo and his wife Sarah, of Indian Land, South Carolina; grandchildren Jenna Ward and her husband Jake, Marisa Jolicoeur, Cecilia Rossi, and Molly Preo; two great-grandsons, Malcom and Calvin Ward; her step-grandson, Richard Jolicoeur Jr., his wife Jillian, and their children Ashton and Aubrey; her sister-in-law, Charlene Breton, of Winslow, her cousin Gertrude (LaCroix) Huard; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church, 116 Silver Street, Waterville, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 10 a.m.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street, Waterville. An online guestbook may be signed, condolences and memories shared at http://www.gallantfh.com.

CHINA: Seeking second access to Thurston Park main topic at committee meeting

/0 Comments/in , /by

Hikers on Bridge in Thurston Park (Photo courtesy: Town of China)

by Mary Grow

According to the minutes of the Dec. 19, 2024, meeting of China’s Thurston Park Committee, seeking a second access to the park from the south was a main topic of discussion.

Currently, people driving into the almost-400-acre recreation area in northeastern China have access only from Albion on the north, via the discontinued Yorktown Road that runs through the park south to China’s Mann Road. The steep hill, partly in Albion, on the dirt road frequently washes out and needs expensive repairs.

Committee members hope lessening reliance on the north entrance would save money. Park users have asked for better access. And committee members believe a second access is necessary in case of a medical emergency or a fire in the park.

The southern end of Yorktown Road passes close to Maurice “Pete” and Dawn Haskell’s home. Committee members wanted to start by talking with the Haskells; Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood advised them to ask for select board approval first.

Committee members also talked about applying for state funding under the measure Maine voters approved Nov. 5 to improve trails, and discussed where they might want to build new trails. They decided the next trail in the park should be handicapped-accessible, and an accessible toilet should be provided.

Committee members are waiting for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) money to reimburse some of the clean-up costs after last December’s storms. They hope to have money from that source; from China’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) fund; and from their annual town budget request, which they decided to leave at $13,000 for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Depending on funding, they suggested adding a new trail and improving two existing trails for mountain biking. Members of NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike Association) have been to the park and are interested. Committee members also plan to participate in China’s February 2025 Ice Days, as they did in 2024 (though lack of snow ruined some of their plans).

The next Thurston Park Committee meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in the portable building behind the China town office.

CHINA: Thurston Park, emergency medical services select board topics

/0 Comments/in , /by

by Mary Grow

At their Dec. 20 meeting, China select board members unanimously approved Jeanette Smith’s proposal to have the Thurston Park Committee she chairs reach out to the park’s southern neighbors about opening an access road from that end.

The former Yorktown Road runs from south to north through the almost-400-acre park and into the neighboring town of Albion. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said when voters discontinued the road on March 2, 1956, they reserved a public easement over it, giving the public the legal right to use it and China the legal right to maintain it, assuming voters approve funds.

The north entrance to the park, the only one currently used, is down a steep hill on a dirt road that needs frequent repairs.

Smith explained that two-tenths of a mile on the hill are in Albion. Albion officials are not interested in contributing to maintenance, although, she said, Albion residents use Thurston Park.

The south end of the road serves as the driveway from Mann Road to Maurice “Pete” Haskell’s home, before continuing north past the Haskell property and others into the park.

Committee member Scott Monroe said about 10 years ago, China officials considered road improvements that would create park access from the south. At that time, he said, the Haskells, foreseeing increased traffic past their house, hired a lawyer who threatened court action. Town officials dropped the idea.

Smith would like to try again, this time starting by talking with the Haskells about ways to meet their and the park’s needs, like relocating the right of way farther from their house, or having the south entrance be for walkers only.

Park use is increasing, she said, citing recordings from trail cameras, and users say on surveys they would like a southern entrance.

Select board members discussed options and costs – Smith is investigating possible grants – before giving the committee the go-ahead. Hapgood offered the town office as a meeting place, if desired, and said she would attend if invited.

In other business Dec. 30, recently re-elected State Representative Katrina Smith attended the meeting to ask if anyone wanted to bring a local issue to her attention. As a proponent of local control, she explained, she avoids involving herself in town matters; but she would be glad to hear what issues the legislature might help with.

Select board member Jeanne Marquis and chairman Wayne Chadwick promptly asked about funding for emergency medical services, and what happened with the legislature’s January 2024 Blue Ribbon Commission report. Smith said she is working with other area legislators on the issue.

Hapgood asked Smith to look into changing the county budget process, to avoid surprises like the major increase in the Kennebec County budget in 2024. She invited Smith to report to the select board at intervals during the 2025 legislative session.

On another topic, board member Blane Casey reported eight contracts for different pieces of the planned new records storage vault at the town office had been sent out on Friday, Dec. 27; six had already been returned.

Board members unanimously reappointed Town Clerk Angela Nelson for another two-year term. They appointed resident Kenneth Molfetta a member of the comprehensive plan committee, the recreation committee and the Thurston Park committee.

The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Jan. 13, 2025.