Beware of energy saving scammers

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image: AARP

Summer is coming, and rising temperatures mean high air conditioning bills. Scammers have devised a new con that claims to “save you money.” Con artists, posing as local government and utility company representatives, are offering phony home energy audits and services. Here’s what you need to know to spot the scam.

How the scam works

You are contacted over the phone or in person at your front door. The “representative” introduces themselves as working for your utility company or with the energy division of your local government. They may even show you identification, but it isn’t real.

Scammers inform you that you could be saving big on your energy bill. Some con artists will even insist on a tour of your home. These individuals may offer to install filters, thermostats, or other energy equipment to lower your bill, or they may say simply you are eligible to pay less. In either case, they’ll ask you to sign a contract and possibly even run a credit check. They will also ask for billing information, including your debit or credit card number.

In the end, you won’t receive any discount on your energy bill or any services. The equipment you were promised won’t be delivered. That’s because this “home energy audit” is a scam. You may, however, be charged the fees mentioned in the contract, and your personal information will be in the hands of a scammer.

How to avoid impersonation scams

Don’t agree to anything on the spot. No matter how good the deal seems or how urgent the individual makes their offer seem, take time to do your research. Tell the person you need time to think about their offer and hang up or close the door. Scammers may tell you you’ll miss out on the deal, but taking immediate action isn’t worth getting scammed.

Go to the source. Contact your local government agency or your utility company directly to confirm whether they really are offering energy audit services. This is the quickest way to find out if you are dealing with an impostor.

Get help. If you aren’t sure about what you’re being offered, talk to someone. Call a trusted friend or family member or contact your local BBB to find out if it you are dealing with a scam.

For more information

Learn more ways to protect yourself from scams by reading the BBB’s tip on avoiding impostor scams. You can find additional information at BBB.org/AvoidScams.

Become a skilled scam spotter by visiting BBB.org/SpotaScam and report any suspicious activity to BBB.org/ScamTracker.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Native Americans – Part 2

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The British execution of Father Sebastian Rale

by Mary Grow

(Read part 1 of this series here.)

Earlier articles in this series have identified the Kennebec River Valley as a throughway connecting the coast and the St. Lawrence River, used by, among others, Benedict Arnold going north to attack Québec in 1775 and Canadians coming south to find jobs in Maine in the 19th century. According to Charles E. Nash’s chapter on the Abenakis in Kingsbury’s Kennebec County history, the route was well-traveled long before the Europeans arrived.

Nash wrote that for the Kennebec tribe of the Kennebec Valley, “The river was their highway and its banks their home.” He described a nomadic life varying seasonally with food resources.

In the winter, he wrote, families moved to the head of the river at Moosehead Lake, where they hunted moose, deer and caribou and caught trout through the ice. When the game animals left their winter yards, the Native Americans loaded their canoes and headed downriver.

They would stop along the way, Nash wrote, especially at waterfalls and at river junctions where migrating salmon and river herring assembled. Usually, their journeys ended at Merrymeeting Bay, where they and other groups spent the summer feasting on fish and shellfish.

Nash described canoes skimming down descending rapids and being carried around those too swift to run. He did not mention the autumn upstream journey, which must have been more difficult.

Along the way, the same camping places were used over and over, to the point where permanent traces were left. Nash described evidence of tool-making and of campfires still visible when the Kennebec County history was published in 1892.

“Flint and stone chippings, with arrow-heads and other articles in all stages of manufacture” were common. The slate used for the tools came from Mount Kineo, near Moosehead Lake, he said.

Nash also wrote, “Many spots where wigwam fires once glowed are yet marked by burned and crumbling stones and by fragments of the earthen vessels in which the feasts were cooked.”

Such “relic places” are spread from Moosehead Lake to Popham Beach, Nash wrote, “but they are almost continuous on the alluvial banks between Augusta and Waterville, which seems to have been a favorite resort or metropolis of the tribe.”

Nash wrote that there were no permanent villages along the river, but other sources list three places that seem to have been inhabited most, if not all, of the year: Norridgewock; Cushnoc, on the east bank of the river in Augusta; and Ticonic, at the junction of the Sebasticook and Kennebec rivers, in Winslow.

Norridgewock, too far north to be part of this series, was dominated by the French; the British built trading posts and later forts at Ticonic and Cushnoc.

An on-line article calls Ticonic, or Teconnet Village, the “ancestral home” of the Kennebec tribe; or, according to an 1852 history by J. W. Hanson also found on line, of the Teconnet clan of the Kennebec tribe.

Kingsbury considered this junction of two major rivers a natural place for a Native American village. “It was easy of access, renowned for fish and game – just the spot for camp and council, for traffic and recreation.”

An on-line history of Waterville says the village “was estimated to be the second largest Native American settlement in Maine at the time of the first European visitors.” (The article does not name the largest.)

Two sources agree that the burying ground associated with the village was on the west side of the Kennebec. An on-line history says it extended from contemporary Temple Street to the Lockwood/Hathaway mill complex.

Kingsbury wrote the lot that was by 1892 Lockwood Park (near the Lockwood Mill at the northern end of present-day Water Street) had been the site of sequential hotels after the 1840s, until the final building became a tenement and was demolished.

As the site was cleared, he said, workers found “many human bones” indicating the burial site. One of the skeletons was in a sitting position and surrounded by “over 300 copper beads about the size of a straw, from two to three inches long, and punctured from end to end.”

A Native American village attracted British traders. Kingsbury wrote that a 1719 survey showed a building on the southeast side of the Sebasticook-Kennebec junction labeled as a trading house built by Christopher Lawson, dated Sept. 10, 1653.

Lawson had acquired the land from the chief called Kennebis in 1649. In 1653 he “assigned” it to Clark & Lake, a trading company mentioned in various histories.

By 1675, Kingsbury wrote, “Richard Hammond, an ancient trader, and Clark & Lake each had a trading house at Ticonic.” ((In his history of Augusta, James W. North accuses Hammond of stealing the Kennebecs’ furs.)

By then, too, although the British were theoretically not allowed to furnish either guns or liquor to Native Americans, tribes had become dependent on guns for hunting. Williamson wrote that the Kennebecs were starving, because the British had driven them from their corn fields and had denied them hunting supplies.

Williamson described an early 1676 meeting at Ticonic between British representatives and tribal chiefs, who asked for powder and ammunition. The British denied the request, saying they feared the Kennebecs would hand them on to tribes farther west who were on the warpath. So, Mitchell said, the Kennebecs attacked the British settlers, beginning the first of the series of wars that lasted from 1675 until 1759.

In 1676, the Native Americans killed Hammond and Lake, Kingsbury wrote. They evidently seized the buildings, rather than burning them, because various sources refer to Europeans being sent as captives to a Native American “fort” at Ticonic in the 1780s and 1690s. This fort was burned in 1692, one source says, by the Kennebecs.

This first war ended with a peace treaty that Harry Edward Mitchell, author of a 1904 Winslow Register found on line, called temporary, because “The two races were naturally repellant.” War did indeed resume, with occasional intervals of peace. Europeans, their livestock and their pets were killed, their homes and farms were destroyed or abandoned; but they always came back.

One pause in the fighting followed a major meeting of Native Americans and British at Casco (Portland) in 1702. Mitchell listed three Kennebec chiefs named Bomaseen, Captain Sam and Moxus among those present.

Bomaseen or Bomazeen appears in multiple histories, identified as a Norridgewock chief, shot by the British in 1724. Captain Samuel, whose real name is given on line as Wedaranaquin, was a Kennebec or Norridgewock leader, born before 1680 and maybe died in 1722; he is described as “an orator” at the 1702 Casco conference. Moxus was, or might have been, Bomaseen’s son, born before 1660 and died about 1721, according to other on-line sources; one says he was a Penobscot leader and by 1701 leader of the Norridgewock group.

A European peace in 1713 meant an interval of peace in the Kennebec Valley and the rest of Maine, during which more settlers moved in, basing their land claims on “deeds” given them by natives who had not yet learned concepts of individual ownership.

A 1717 British attack on Norridgewock, by then home to Father Sebastien Rale, who was highly esteemed by the Kennebecs, brought open warfare again, Mitchell wrote.

In August 1724, the British succeeded in killing Rale, and on their way to Norridgewock, Bomaseen. Rale’s death ended the Kennebecs’ participation in wars against British settlers, Mitchell said. He described subsequent “minor conflicts” in the Kennebec Valley as “of little importance,” though people continued to die for another three decades.

In the spring of 1754, the Massachusetts General Court ordered a new fort on the point between the Sebasticook and the Kennebec at Ticonic to deter the French and protect the British settlers. Major General John Winslow and soldiers, Governor William Shirley and other authorities met with local chiefs late in June and told them the plan.

Williamson wrote in his history of Maine that the chiefs were opposed, until the Massachusetts delegation showed them documents by which their forebears had ceded the land. They then signed a treaty and celebrated with a dance before all, except three young men, went back to their villages.

Two days later a group of Penobscots met with the Massachusetts delegation to sign the treaty. Two of their young men also stayed behind, and, Williamson wrote, “the five were sent to Boston to be educated.” He said nothing more about them.

The British soldiers then built Fort Halifax. It was finished Sept. 3, 1754, and the Governor, who had been visiting Falmouth and surrounding towns, came upriver for an inspection. Mitchell said that the governor “very highly complimented General Winslow and his men.”

The inspection must have been hurried, however, because Williamson wrote that Shirley continued upriver from Ticonic as far as Norridgewock and was back in Boston Sept. 9.

The Massachusetts General Court promptly authorized funds to supply the fort and buy gifts for the Kennebecs, Williamson said. The gifts were recalled, because on Nov. 6, 1754, the Fort Halifax garrison sent Governor Shirley the news that Native Americans had attacked a party of soldiers outside the fort, killing one and taking four prisoners.

Williamson did not suggest what reason the Natives Americans might have had. From the British point of view, his words were “outrage” and “base and cruel treachery.” He added that efforts to ransom the prisoners were counterproductive, because they encouraged more kidnapping to collect more ransoms.

The Nov. 6 attack marked the beginning of the French and Indian War, the last of the long series. Tribal warriors attacked throughout the Kennebec Valley. Williamson mentioned one man (probably a soldier, though he did not specify) shot at Ticonic in 1755 and another “taken” on his way north to Fort Halifax.

The Kennebecs saw Fort Halifax as “an object of great affront and hatred,” Williamson wrote. In 1756, they shot and killed two soldiers “catching fish at the falls.”

Mitchell agreed, recording that “No man was safe if he ventured beyond the limits of the fortifications. Several were mortally wounded by the Indians.” The last attack, he wrote, was on May 18, 1757.

Captain Lithgow, in charge of Fort Halifax, had noticed rafts floating down the Kennebec, deduced that warriors had crossed and were making their way downstream by land and sent ten soldiers downriver to warn settlers. As the men came back, they were ambushed near Riverside. They resisted so effectively that the Kennebecs fled.

The cost was two soldiers wounded, one Kennebec killed and one wounded, Mitchell said. And, he concluded, the “skirmish” at Riverside was “the final shot of the redman, as a tribe, in this region.”

Settlers continued to use the name Ticonic, misplaced, for the west side of the Kennebec River after Winslow was created as a town (including present-day Waterville) in 1771. After Waterville became a separate town on June 23, 1802, Kingsbury wrote that Asa Redington, convening the first Waterville town meeting, called on voters to assemble “in the public meeting house in Ticonic village on Monday, July26, 1802.”

The name Ticonic endures today, as in Waterville’s Ticonic Street and Ticonic Bridge (scheduled for replacement by 2026).

Main sources

Davis, B. V., and Harry Edward Mitchell, The Winslow Register 1904 (1904) (found on line; also available as a paperback book).
Kingsbury, Henry D., ed., Illustrated History of Kennebec County Maine 1625-1892 (1892).
Williamson, William D., The History of the State of Maine from its First Discovery, A.D. 1602, to the Separation, A.D. 1820, Inclusive Vol. II (1832).

Websites, miscellaneous.

Next week: another major Native America village, at Cushnoc, and more incomplete evidence from elsewhere in the central Kennebec Valley.

Erskine Academy announces top ten seniors, class of 2022

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Top row, left to right: Mackenzie Roderick, Aidan Larrabee, Hannah Soule, Lily Vinci, Samantha Golden.
Bottom row: Emily Clark, Grace Hodgkins, Devon Polley, Grace Kelso, Riley Reitchel.

Erskine Academy, in South China, has announced the Class of 2022 Top Ten Seniors.

Valedictorian is Mackenzie Roderick, daughter of Melissa Vail, of Augusta, and Mike Roderick, of China. Throughout her four years at Erskine, Mackenzie has participated in such activities as Student Council, National Honor Society, the EA Leadership Team, math team, soccer, basketball, and she has completed over 100 hours of community service projects. Mackenzie is a four-year honor roll recipient and has received awards of distinction in Spanish, statistics, and calculus, and she has been a Senior of the Trimester award recipient. Mackenzie is also a Maine Principal’s Association Award recipient, a George Eastman Young Leaders Award recipient, and has served as President of the Class of 2022. Mackenzie plans to attend the University of Southern Maine to study Biology.

Salutatorian is Aidan Larrabee, son of Carrie and Jeremy Larrabee, of China. Aidan has participated in such activities as Student Council, National Honor Society, math team, Youth in Government, the EA Leadership Team, Future Business Leaders of America, soccer, wrestling, and basketball. Aidan has also served as Vice President of the Class of 2022, and he has completed over 200 hours of community service projects. A student who has received high honor roll distinction every trimester, Aidan was the recipient of awards of excellence in English, pre-calculus, social studies, biology, U.S. History, French, and physical education. In addition, Aidan has also been a recipient of the Rensselaer Medal and Renaissance Recognition and Senior of the Trimester awards. Aidan plans to attend Texas A & M to study Petroleum Engineering.

Third in academic standing is Hannah Soule, daughter of Amanda and Jamie Soule, of Fairfield. Hannah is a member of National Honor Society and she has participated in such activities as EA Theater, Future Business Leaders of America, AFS (Erskine’s cultural awareness group), LEO Club, the EA Leadership Team, and field hockey. In addition, Hannah has completed over 100 hours of community service projects. Hannah has received high honor roll distinction every trimester, is a Smith Book Award recipient, and has been a recipient of Renaissance Recognition and Senior of the Trimester awards. Hannah plans to attend Columbus State University to major in Political Science with a Pre-Law concentration.

Fourth in academic standing is Lily Vinci, daughter of Melody and Anthony Vinci, of Palermo. Lily has participated in such activities as AFS (Erskine’s cultural awareness group), cross country, indoor track, track & field, and tennis. Lily has also completed over 100 hours of community service projects. Lily has received awards of distinction in Algebra 1, geometry, Algebra 2, and chemistry, and she has achieved four year honor roll status. In addition, Lily was the recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa Award. Lily plans to take a gap year to pursue employment and travel opportunities.

Fifth in academic standing is Samantha Golden, daughter of Jane and Richard Golden, of China. Samantha is a member of National Honor Society and has been a participant of HOPE (Helping Others Persevere at Erskine), soccer, and basketball. Samantha has also completed over 100 hours of community service projects. Samantha has received awards of excellence in U.S. history and is a four-year honor roll recipient. Samantha plans to attend Clark University with a major in Biology.

Sixth in academic standing is Emily Clark, daughter of Stacy and Christopher Clark, of China. Emily is a member of National Honor Society and she has participated in such activities as HOPE (Helping Others Persevere at Erskine), soccer, basketball, and she has participated in a variety of community service activities. Emily has received awards of excellence in Integrated Science and PreCalculus, is a four year honor roll recipient, and received the SWE Certification of Merit. Emily plans to attend Endicott College with a major in nursing.

Seventh in academic standing is Grace Hodgkin, daughter of Helen Edmonds and Dana Hodgkin, of Manchester. Grace is a member of National Honor Society and she has participated in such activities as EA Theater, Student Council, yearbook, tennis, and she has served as a class officer. Grace is also a four-year honor roll recipient. Grace plans to major in biology at the University of Maine.

Eighth in academic standing is Devon Polley, son of Hillary and Stephen Polley, of Vassalboro. Devon has been a member of the soccer and tennis teams and he has completed a variety of community service projects. Devon has received honor roll distinction every trimester, and he has received an award of excellence in physics. Devon was also the recipient of the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award. Devon plans to attend the University of Maine with a major in Mechanical Engineering.

Ninth in academic standing is Grace Kelso, daughter of Storm and Bradley Kelso, of Vassalboro. Grace is a member of National Honor Society, and she has participated in such activities as debate team, Youth in Government, AFS (Erskine’s cultural awareness group), swim, tennis, and she has completed over 300 hours of community service projects. Grace has also received high honor roll distinction every trimester, has received awards of excellence in English, German, and debate, and she has received Renaissance Recognition and Senior of the Trimester awards. Grace plans to major in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh.

Tenth in academic standing is Riley Reitchel, daughter of Danielle and Richard Reitchel, of Palermo. Riley is a member of National Honor Society and has participated in such activities as LEO Club, the EA Leadership Team, the EA International Outreach Coalition, soccer, indoor track, and she has completed over 100 hours of community service projects. Riley has earned honor roll status every trimester, and she has received a Renaissance Senior of the Trimester award. Riley plans to major in Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Things you see in the dark

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Wolverine, left, and Fisher, right.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Well, today we have an interesting question.

A supporter sent an email to me stating they had seen a wolverine crossing the Bog Road, in Vassalboro, on their way home from the Vassalboro town meeting last Monday night. After looking online, this person is sure it was a wolverine.

The wolverine is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae (otters, weasels, badgers, ferrets, martens, minks). It is a muscular carnivore and a solitary animal. The wolverine has a reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size, with the documented ability to kill prey many times larger than itself.

The wolverine is found primarily in remote reaches of the Northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Northern Canada, the U.S. state of Alaska, the mainland Nordic countries of Europe, and throughout western Russia and Siberia. Its population has steadily declined since the 19th century because to trapping, range reduction and habitat fragmentation. The wolverine is now essentially absent from the southern end of its range in both Europe and North America.

Anatomically, the wolverine is an elongated animal that is low to the ground. With strong limbs, broad and rounded head, small eyes and short rounded ears, it most closely resembles a large fisher. Though its legs are short, its large, five-toed paws with crampon-like claws and plantigrade posture enable it to climb up and over steep cliffs, trees and snow-covered peaks with relative ease.

The adult wolverine is about the size of a medium dog. Wolverines have thick, dark, oily fur which is highly hydrophobic, making it resistant to frost. This has led to its traditional popularity among hunters and trappers as a lining in jackets and parkas in Arctic conditions. A light-silvery facial mask is distinct in some individuals, and a pale buff stripe runs laterally from the shoulders along the side and crossing the rump just above a bushy tail. Some individuals display prominent white hair patches on their throats or chests.

Like many other mustelids, it has potent anal scent glands used for marking territory and sexual signaling. The pungent odor has given rise to the nicknames “skunk bear” and “nasty cat.” Wolverines, like other mustelids, possess a special upper molar in the back of the mouth that is rotated 90 degrees, towards the inside of the mouth. This special characteristic allows wolverines to tear off meat from prey or carrion that has been frozen solid.

Wolverines are considered to be primarily scavengers. A majority of the wolverine’s sustenance is derived from carrion, on which it depends almost exclusively in winter and early spring. Wolverines may find carrion themselves, feed on it after the predator (often, a pack of wolves) has finished, or simply take it from another predator. Wolverines are also known to follow wolf and lynx trails, purportedly with the intent of scavenging the remains of their kills. Whether eating live prey or carrion, the wolverine’s feeding style appears voracious, leading to the nickname of “glutton”. However, this feeding style is believed to be an adaptation to food scarcity, especially in winter.

The wolverine is also a powerful and versatile predator. Its prey mainly consists of small to medium-sized mammals, but the wolv­erine has been recorded kill­ing prey such as adult deer that are many times larger than itself. Prey species include porcupines, squirrels, chipmunks, beavers, marmots, moles, gophers, rabbits, voles, mice, rats, shrews, lemmings, caribou, roe deer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, sheep, goats, cattle, bison, moose, and elk. Smaller predators are occasionally preyed on, including martens, mink, foxes, Eurasian lynx, weasels, [coyote, and wolf pups. Wolverines often pursue live prey that are relatively easy to obtain. Their diets are sometimes supplemented by birds’ eggs, birds (especially geese), roots, seeds, insect larvae, and berries.

Wol­ver­ines frequently cache their food during times of plenty. This is of particular importance to lactating females in the winter and early spring, a time when food is scarce.

Wolves, American black bears, brown bears, cougars, and golden eagles are capable of killing wolverines, particularly young and inexperienced individuals. Wolves are thought to be the wolverine’s most important natural predator. Armed with powerful jaws, sharp claws, and a thick hide, wolverines are remarkably strong for their size. By far, their most serious predator is the grey wolf.

Wolverines live primarily in isolated arctic, boreal, and alpine regions of northern Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and Fennoscandia; they are also native to European Russia, the Baltic countries, the Russian Far East, northeast China and Mongolia. In the Sierra Nevada, wolverines were sighted near Winnemucca Lake in spring 1995 and at Toe Jam Lake north of the Yosemite border in 1996; and later photographed by baited cameras, including in 2008 and 2009, near Lake Tahoe. According to a 2014 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publication, “wolverines are found in the North Cascades, in Washington, and the Northern Rocky Mountains, in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming. Individual wolverines have also moved into historic range in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado, but have not established breeding populations in these areas.

Most New World wolverines live in Canada and Alaska. However, wolverines were once recorded as also being present in Colorado, areas of the southwestern United States (Arizona and New Mexico), the Midwest (Indiana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts) and in New York and Pennsylvania.

Many North American cities, teams, and organizations use the wolverine as a mascot. For example, the US state of Michigan is, by tradition, known as “the Wolverine State”, and the University of Michigan takes the animal as its mascot. There have also been professional baseball and football clubs called the “Wolverines”.

Marvel Comics character James “Logan” Howlett was given the name “Wolverine” because of his short stature, keen animal senses, and ferocity.

The wolverine is prevalent in stories and oral history from various Algonquian tribes and figures prominently in the mythology of the Innu people of eastern Québec and Labrador.

So, now the question is: are there wolverines in Maine? According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, wolverines are not found in New England, although they did at one time. But fishers are, and in the right light, they could look like small wolverines. What did that person see that night? In the dark, it could possibly have been a fisher, which bears a resemblance to a small wolverine.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which Boston Red Sox player was the first rookie in history to gather both the Rookie of the Year, and Most Valuable Player awards, in the same year?

Answer can be found here.

Roland’s Trivia Question for Thursday, June 9, 2022

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Trivia QuestionsWhich Boston Red Sox player was the first rookie in history to gather both the Rookie of the Year, and Most Valuable Player awards, in the same year?

Answer:

Fred Lynn, in 1975.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, June 9, 2022

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DONALD F. MASKELL

WATERVILLE – Donald F. Maskell, 77, passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Maine­General Medical Center, in Augusta. Donald (Don) was born July 31, 1944, in Quincy, Massachusetts, the son of Grace Wilmer (Peavey) Maskell and Howard Frederick Maskell.

He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves from 1962 to 1967, and was married to the late Barbara Maskell in 1974, in Waterville. They resided in Oakland for many years where they raised their three sons before building a retirement home in Waterville.

Don worked at Cianbro Corp., in Pittsfield, before joining Schwan’s Food Company in the late 1970s. At Schwan’s he held various jobs as a driver before being promoted to warehouse manager, and he managed a number of depot warehouses across New England before he retired.

He was known to his grandchildren as grampa and “Pupup”.

Before his health declined Don was an avid fisherman, sharing fishing stories with his family right up until the day before he passed. He loved to take fishing excursions with his kids and his grandnephew, Ricky Morse.

Don became a skilled woodworker, making furniture for himself and his children while his health permitted. He passed his knowledge of woodworking on to anyone who wanted to learn.

At the Easter Vigil ceremony in 2002, in answer to the longtime prayers of his wife and children, Don was received into the Catholic Church. He later joined the Knights of Columbus and became a fourth degree Knight.

Don is survived by sons Randall Landry and wife Jeannine, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and Marc and wife Lynn; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one brother, Charles Maskell, of Englewood, Florida.

He was predeceased by his parents, his wife Barbara, son Scott Landry, siblings Albert Maskell, Howard Maskell, Sophie (Hamilton) Vicnaire, Everett Hamilton, Mildred (Hamilton) Chapman, Henry Hamilton, Harold “Tubby” Hamilton, and Perley Hamilton.

A Catholic Mass will be held on Wednesday, June 15, at 10 a.m., at Notre Dame Church, 116 Silver St., in Waterville, followed by a committal at St. Francis Cemetery.

Arrangements are in the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church St., Oakland, where condolences may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at www.lawrybrothers.com.

CHEYENNE R. HOSKINS

CHELSEA – Cheyenne Rae Hoskins, 14, passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Maine Medical Center, in Portland. She was born January 11, 2008, in Skowhegan, the daughter of Dorette (King) Hoskins.

Although her time on earth was short, she touched many, many lives and will be fondly remembered by those who had the pleasure of knowing her.

She is survived by her mother, Dorette Hoskins; sisters, Shawna Hunter and Erin Grant; brother, Jedediah Neilson; aunts and uncles Bruce and Tammy King, Andrea and Eric Erskine, Dan and Sarah King, Valerie and David Richards, Brian and Geneva King, Dwayne and Jeanne King; many cousins; and special friends from her time at Spurwink.

She was predeceased by great-grandparents, Constance and Perley King, and Uncle Steve King.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., at the Church of Faith, on Route 2, in Skowhegan, headed toward Canaan, with a lunch and gathering to follow at 22 Mill Pond Road, East Madison.

Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan ME 04976.

In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make donations in Cheyenne’s memory to Spurwink School, 901 Washington Ave. Suite 100, Portland, ME or at Spurwink.org.

BRIAN PINETTE

TURNERS FALLS, Massa­chusetts — Brian E. Pinette, 65, of 7th St. passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Baystate Medical Center, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was born in Augusta, August 11, 1956, the son of Joseph and Gloria (Dowe) Pinette.

A software developer with a PhD in robotics, he was always an early adopter with an interest in new technologies. He was also a voracious reader, and avid gardener, and adventurous cook and homebrewer, and creative with a variety of home improvement projects. He also enjoyed CrossFit and meditation.

Brian was a generous spirit and active in the community in a variety of ways. He enjoyed attending conferences on both cutting-edge scientific developments and paranormal activity.

He was predeceased by three siblings—Gregory, Scott, and Lori and his parents—Joseph and Gloria.

He is survived by his two children, Luke Pinette and Jed Kundl; the three children of his late sister, Derry, Moira, and Ian Salewski.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Kostanski Funeral Home, 1 Kostanski Square, Turners Falls, Massachusetts, on Saturday June 11, 2022, from 10 a.m. until noon.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to International Rescue Committee, 122 E 42nd St., New York, NY. 10168 or http://www.rescue.org.

For condolences, please visit www.kostanskifuneralhome.com

JUSTIN B. HOWARD

CLINTON – Justin B. Howard, 36, died unexpectedly on Sunday, May 22, 2022. Justin was born in Waterville, on March 15, 1986, to Nena Shaw and Gerald Howard Jr.

Justin graduated from Lawrence High School, in Fairfield, class of 2004.

He will be remembered as the funny, kind, and creative person that he was growing up. His smile and laugh will never be forgotten.

He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents as well as several aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his mother, Nena; his father, Gerald and spouse, Dianne; two sisters, Courtney and husband, Zach, and Tasha and fiancé, Zach; his four children, Kierra, Jaidyn, Deakyn, and Kashious; his nephew, Ryder; his paternal grandparents; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A Celebration of Life took place at Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield, on June 4.

Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

The family request donations to be sent to Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services, Maine in honor of Justin Howard.

ROSALIND F. JOSEPH

WATERVILLE – Rosalind Fern (Bard) Joseph, 90, of Waterville passed away on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, following a sudden illness. Rosalind was born on August 13, 1931, in Fort Kent, to parents Alcide and Cecile (Robichaud) Bard.

She was the oldest of 12 siblings and spent her early years on the family’s potato farm. As a young woman, Rosalind moved to Waterville, where she eventually married and began her family. Years later, as a single mother of four, she proved her tenacity by continuing her education, going back to work at Keyes Fibre Co., (now Huhtamaki), in Waterville, for 16 years before her retirement and maintaining her home by herself.

During this time she also had a radical encounter with Jesus Christ, her Savior and found a place of belonging with the people at Blessed Hope Church, in Waterville, and at Lakeside Advent Christian Campground, in Belgrade. Rosalind’s faith in Christ was well-known and she spent many years serving at her church and at Lakeside in various roles. She loved reading scripture and dedicated herself to being a “prayer warrior,” praying for extended periods of time for her loved ones, community and the world.

Her desire above all was for her family and friends to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. She recognized God’s care and provision for her throughout her life and prayed that her loved ones would experience His grace as well and she was not afraid to share her faith with everyone she encountered. Lakeside held a very dear place in Rosalind’s heart.

She purchased a small camp and later built a new larger one, designing and doing much of the work herself, and spent every summer there for decades until her dementia made it difficult.

Rosalind was predeceased by her parents, brothers Rosaire “Shoe”, Bertrand and Maurice Bard, and great-granddaughter Acadia Grace Tuggle.

She is survived by her children Gerald Joseph, Cheryl Tuggle, David Joseph and wife Tonda, and Paul Joseph, as well as grandchildren Sarah Doyle and husband Tim, Joshua Tuggle, Joann Bedillion and husband Damon, Jessica Joseph, Leah Tuggle, Bethany Tuttle and husband Jason, and Dylan Joseph; and great-grandchildren Elijah and Micah Tuggle, Connor and Brynn Doyle, Wyatt and Ian Tuttle, and Luca and Aliyah Joseph.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 2, at 11 a.m., at Blessed Hope Church, (10 Pleasant Street, Waterville) with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rosalind’s name can be made to Lakeside Advent Christian Camp meeting Association at http://www.lakesideaccamp.org or mailed to Cherry Frewin—Lakeside Treasurer, Lakeside Advent Christian Campmeeting Association, 3126 Berkley Square Way, Vero Beach, FL 32966, or by text giving: Send a text message with the amount you wish to donate to 207-888-4657 and click the link provided in the response.

JEFFREY A. QUIRION

SIDNEY – Jeffrey A. Quirion Sr., 57, passed away May 25, 2022 at Alfond Center for Health, in Augusta. He was born December 15, 1964, in Waterville, the son of Paul J. and Janet (Mullen) Quirion.

He graduated from Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, in 1984 and was employed as a service writer in the automobile industry all his life. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, listening to music, four-wheeling, and family gatherings.

Jeffrey is survived by his parents, Paul and Janet Quirion, of Oakland; daughter, Katie Lancaster and husband Travis, of Fairfield; son, Jeff Quirion and wife Tamran, of Sidney; grandchildren, Aaliyah, Aerek, Jackson, Morgan, Madalyn and Emma; sister, Paula Fairfield and husband Joe, of Sidney; brother, Danny Quirion and wife Maryanne, of Vassalboro; sister, Angela Quirion and partner Ian Reilly, of Wiscasset; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A graveside service will be held at a later date at Lewis Cemetery, in Oakland, at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make donations in Jeffrey’s memory to the American Diabetes Association, 10 Speen Street, 2nd Floor, Framingham, MA 01701.

Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan ME 04976.

CATHERINE M. MOOERS

SIDNEY – Catherine “Kaye” Myrtle Doyle Mooers, 87, of Sidney, formerly of Manchester, passed away on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Maine­General Rehabilitation and Nursing Glenridge Comfort Care Unit, in Augusta. She was born in Dexter on December 23, 1934, the daughter of Everett E. and Grace (Landry) Doyle.

She was a 1953 graduate of Maine Central Institute, in Pittsfield, and graduated with highest honors from the University of Maine in Orono in 1974.

She was a member of the Manchester Community Church for over 50 years where she was past president of the Adult Club, served as church clerk and as chairman of the board of trustees. She was a member of the MCC choir and served as church historian and photographer for many years.

She served as Class Agent for the class of 1953 at Maine Central Institute and enjoyed getting classmates together in Maine and in Florida, and in keeping them informed about special events in their lives. She was inducted into the MCI Hall of Fame in 2013 for her outstanding work as a Class Agent for over 55 years.

She was a past secretary of the Manchester PTA and member and past president of the Army National Guard Auxiliary, of Gardiner. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, of Augusta, The Maine Retired Teachers Association, and the National Education Association. She worked for the State of Maine Department of Human Services, was patients control clerk, inventory clerk, and switchboard operator at the Augusta State Hospital, and was head cook at the Manchester Elementary School.

Working with children at the school inspired her to go to college and fulfill her dream to become a teacher. Upon graduating from UMO she taught second grade at Farrington Elementary School, in Augusta, for 20 years. She loved keeping in touch with her former students and enjoyed getting to know their children.

She was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Walter F. Mooers, Sr.; two brothers Wilmont and Arthur Doyle, and three sisters Dorothy Doyle Elderkin, Phyllis Cline Kaler, and Ruth Shirley Shorey.

Survivors include her son Walter F. Mooers, Jr. and wife Jean, of Manchester; daughter Deborah L. Violette and husband Michael, of Sidney; grandchildren Justin W. Mooers and wife Kate, Ryan R. Mooers and wife Bobbi Jo, Tanya Jones and companion Dan Howe, and Steven Violette and companion Amanda Moody; great-grandchildren Kyle Walker, Brenna-Marie Mooers, Brayden Walter Jones, Hailey Olivia Jones, and Lilajean Mooers, Ronilynn Mooers, and Brycen Mooers; a niece Christina Elderkin Botting Kostuk who lived with the Mooers during her teen years; and many other nieces and nephews to whom she was very close; her companion and dear friend Stirling Thurston, of Sidney, and Brooksville, Florida, where they shared many years together after the loss of their spouses.

Committal prayers and burial will be held Saturday, June 11, at 11 a.m. at the Manchester Forks Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Manchester Community Church, at noon, and a gathering after for fellowship and refreshments.

Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Care, One Church Street, Augusta, where memories and condolences may be shared with the family at http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to MCI, 295 Main Street, Pittsfield, ME 04967, Manchester Community Church, 23 Readfield Road, Manchester, ME 04351 or MaineGeneral Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, P O Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903.

ROBERT E. GURNEY

CLINTON – Robert E. Gurney, 90, of Clinton, passed away on Friday, May 27, 2022, following a battle with cancer. He died at the VA hospice care in Togus. Bob was born on March 28, 1932, the son of John J. Gurney and Flora C. Gurney, of Fairfield.

He had two sisters and nine brothers. He attended school in the Fairfield school system.With the outbreak of the Korean War, Bob joined the U.S.Army and went to Korea in 1950 to 1953 to fight for our country. Following his discharge from the military service, he went to work at Scott Paper Co., in Winslow.

He married Marline Parker on December 20, 1957. They had two children, Robert (Skip) Gurney and Mary Bowman. His first love was always his family.

Playing horseshoes, card games and croquet with his grandchildren was always a favorite time for Bob. He enjoyed gardening and puttering around the farm as his daily routine. He had a long career at Scott Paper Co. before retiring at the age of 55, and had a long, wonderful retirement of more than 35 years.

Bob will be remembered as a quiet man who always was willing to help anyone in need.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marline; two children Robert (Jane) Gurney and Mary (Donnie)Bowman; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, and sisters.

Funeral service will be private for immediate family.

Arrangements are in the care of the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church Street, Augusta. Friends may share memories, condolences, and photos with the family on the obituary page at http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Salvation Army, 36 Eastern Ave., Augusta, Maine 04330.

ELSIE J. ADAMS

PALERMO – Elsie Jean (Tibbetts) Adams, 93, of Palermo, passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Elsie, the second of seven Tibbetts girls, was born in Windsor on July 15, 1928, to parents John and Harriet (Greeley) Tibbetts.

She grew up helping her sisters, then went on to meet the love of her life, Earl Stanton Adams, during a Walker High School field trip. Elsie began attending Farmington State Teachers College, where Earl soon enrolled, in an attempt to capture Elsie’s heart. The pair wed in 1947, began a family in Rutland, Vermont, and soon moved back to Maine.

With Earl’s support, Elsie resumed classes, attending summer school and night classes so she could take care of her family during the daytime, finally matriculating at University of Maine, Orono, Class of ’69.

Elsie and Earl were married for 59 years and raised three children. Teaching at Walker High School for six years, Elsie taught for an additional 31 years in the China school system before finally retiring in 1985. She loved teaching and was an avid reader, sightseer, card player, camper, snowmobiler, enjoyed crocheting and knitting, and later in life, enjoyed her winters in Florida with Earl.

Her firm belief in family fed a passion for genealogy and she would discuss her ancestral roots and interests in genealogy with anyone who would listen. The annual Tibbetts family reunions were always a highlight for Elsie, as was her involvement with annual Fish and Game yard sales she hosted at her home on Route 3, in Palermo. Elsie was also known to bake delicious sweets, as well as canning vegetables and pickles from the garden she and Earl planted and tended each season.

Old fashioned donuts, apple pie and mincemeat pie were just a few popular items Elsie often made to share with friends, family, and strangers alike. Elsie and Earl playfully teased one another, providing hours of amusement to their grandchildren and anyone else who needed a smile. “For heaven’s sakes, Earl” was perhaps one of her best-known lines in response to his “for heaven’s sakes, Elsie.”

Like her sisters, Elsie was strong and independent, always there when needed.

She was a member of the Kennebec and Waldo Retired Teachers Associations, Maine Education Association, National Education Association, Palermo Historical Society, Palermo Fish and Game, and the Maine Old Cemetery Association.

She leaves behind her three children: Ronald Adams and his wife Patricia Mathis of Houston, Texas; Caroline Holden and husband Hank, of Palermo, and John (Jack) Elwin Adams, of Fairfield; a sister, Marcia Taber, of Syracuse, New York; grandchildren Kristyn Mathis, of Houston, Texas, Randall Adams and wife Amy, of Middleburg, Virginia, Carolyn Johnson and husband Jason, of Fort Collins, Colorado, Christine Caswell and husband Moises Nuñez, of Portland, George Caswell. Jr. and wife Laura Johnston, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, Jennifer Adams and husband Robert Harville, of Scarborough, Seth Adams, of Southern Maine; great-grandchildren Michael, Meaghan, Daniel, and Ethan Adams, Henry and Cecylia Schattle; Violet, Melody, and Benjamin Caswell; Hazel Harville; and several nieces, and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Earl (2007); her sisters Frances Lenfest, Beryl Glidden, Carolyn Ballantyne, Betty Glidden, Sylvia Tibbetts, and a daughter-in-law, Eva (Gilblair) Adams.

Funeral services were held at the Palermo Christian Church, on Sunday, June 5, 2022.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family requests donations be made to the Palermo Christian Church Youth Program.

DAVID N. BURBANK

WINSLOW – David Nelson Burbank, 91, of Winslow, passed away at his home on Monday, May 30, 2022. David was born on April 1, 1931, in Waterville, the son of Lynwood A. “Steve” Burbank and Ethel A. Remillard Burbank.

He was educated in Waterville schools where he participated in many activities, graduating from Waterville High School in 1949. David credited the Waterville Boys Club for keeping him trouble-free during his formative years, and was instrumental in forming the Keystone Club.

After graduation, he went to work at the Elmwood Hotel, in Waterville, where he met his future wife Marlene Dumont. They were married on August 26, 1950, at Sacred Heart Church, in Waterville, with Father Houlihan officiating. In 1951, he moved on to work as a production trainee at C.F. Hathaway Shirt Co., in Waterville, where he worked for 41 years until retirement. He advanced to various manufacturing positions and in 1962 was transferred to Dover-Foxcroft to start up a satellite plant. The entire growing family enjoyed their home and community there.

He and Marlene were very active in various organizations in the community, and were congregants of St. Thomas Church. In 1967, David was transferred back to Waterville as a manufacturing consultant and the family moved to Winslow, where they lived until his passing. He traveled to various Hathaway facilities in the northeast and Puerto Rico. David retired in 1992 as the plant manager of the main plant in Waterville.

David was a 48-year member of the Waterville Country Club where he played golf until age 90, and was active at St. John Corpus Christi Parish. Marlene and David traveled extensively until health issues did not allow it. David was an avid golfer, gardener, cross-country skier, and an amazing cook, which passions he enthusiastically taught and passed along to his family. Above all, David was totally devoted to his large and loving family.

David was predeceased by his parents, and his sisters Elizabeth Jolicoeur and Ethelyn Nixon.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Marlene Burbank; and four children, Scott and his wife Susan, of Homer, Alaska, Larry, of Waterville, Tim and his wife Marsha, of China, and Jane Veilleux and her husband Roger, of Winslow; grandchildren Todd and his wife Katie, of Winslow, Jeremy and his wife Lorelei, of Vassalboro, Daniel and his wife Danielle, of Belgrade, Jason and his fiancée Jennifer, of Georgia, Kate O’Neal and her husband Patrick, of North Carolina, Kirsten Wrigley and her husband Tyler, of North Carolina; step-grandchildren Eliana LaCroix and her fiancé Zach, of Burnham, and Pamela Ames and her husband John, of Massachusetts; 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

At David’s request there will be no visiting hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Church, 26 Monument St., in Winslow, on Monday, June 20, 2022, at 10 a.m., followed by a celebration of life at Marlene and David’s home.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, 8 Elm St. Waterville Maine 04901.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

JEREMY L. GILLEY

VASSALBORO – Spc. Jeremy L. Gilley, 37, died unexpectedly Monday, May 30, 2022, at his home. He was born in Waterville on December 22, 1984, son of Thomas V. and Tammy A. (Green) Gilley.

Jeremy grew up in Palermo and attended Erskine Academy, in South China. He served in the U.S. Army in Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 502D Infantry Regiment during Operation Enduring Freedom. Jeremy encountered many obstacles during his life but always had the strength and determination to overcome them. After he lost both of his legs in his 2011 accident, limiting him from the things he enjoyed doing, Jeremy had his daughter Kara.

She became his whole world and motivated him to set and achieve goals. His most recent goal was converting his truck into a camper. He planned to travel the U.S., reuniting with some of his former military brothers along the way.

He was predeceased by his father, Thomas V. Gilley, uncle, Lonnie Gilley and maternal grandmother, Diane Green.

Jeremy is survived by his mother, Tammy A. (Green) Gilley, of Palermo; his daughter, Kara Gilley, of Chelsea; two sisters: Jessica (Gilley) Toothaker, of Augusta, and Taylor Gilley, of South China; nephew, Aaric Toothaker and niece, Cadence Welch; paternal grandmother, Dorothy Gilley; maternal grandfather, John Green as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, June 22, at 10 a.m., at the new Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mt. Vernon Rd., Augusta. A gathering for family and friends to follow will be held at VFW, 509 Leighton Rd. Augusta, ME.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta, ME.

Condolences, stories and photos may be shared at http://www.plummerfh.com.

Donations in Jeremy’s memory to Veterans No Boundaries, 8 Sundance Ln., Newry, ME, 04261 or online.

JOHN GOFF

WATERVILLE – John Goff passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at MaineGeneral Medical Center. He was born in Farm­ington, the son of Edward Goff & Helen (Cook) McPherson.

He was always a free spirit with a curious mind. John enjoyed watching the Red Sox games, watching old westerns. He loved his Red Sox, John Deere tractors and farming. To know him was to love him. He had a heart of gold. His kind loving heart and larger than life personality always shined through.

John was predeceased by his parents Edward Goff and Helen McPherson; his baby brother Charles, his older brother Michael; and his niece Holly Lakin.

He is survived by his sister-in-law Cheryl Goff; nieces Jennifer Goff, Jessica Crispin, Amanda Wyman; his great-nephews Cameron Schmidt, Brandon Schmidt, Jaithon Crispin, his great-niece Brilynn Crispin; great-great-nephew Parker Crispin and great-great-niece Dahlia Crispin; many cousins from the Dyer family.

A private graveside service will be held at Forest Hill Cemetary, on Park Street, in Madison.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Giberson Funeral Home, in Madison and Bingham.

To view the online obituary, view service information, share on social media or to leave your condolences to John’s family please visit our website at http://www.gibersonfuneralhome.com

JULIA CRAIG

WATERVILLE – Julia “Judy” Craig, 95, passed away on June 4, 2022, at Oak Grove Center, Waterville,. She was born in Durant, Oklahoma, on October 14, 1926, to Hettie Shaw Wilcox and Alfred Wilcox.

She lived most of her life in Texas, picking cotton for a living as a child with her parents and five siblings, and then later working in a variety of service occupations, including waitressing, secretarial and receptionist work. She married William R. Craig in 1948 to whom she remained faithful until his passing in 2010. She had two children, eight grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren. Judy became a Christian in the 1950s and faithfully served the Lord at Lavonne Drive Baptist for many years. She enjoyed being the church secretary for several years and singing in the choir.

In 2013 she moved to Maine to be with her son and family, quickly becoming an important part of their lives, especially in her granddaughter-in-law’s daycare where she became the official baby rocker. She was a member of Kennebec Valley Baptist Church and was welcomed into a group of friends with whom she enjoyed playing cards weekly. When the time came for her to transition to Oak Grove Center, Judy continued to love and be loved by so many people. Her loving and fun personality made her many friends in her long life.

Judy is survived by her son, Michael Craig and wife LaVerne; her grandchildren Jamin Craig and wife Bethany, of Benton, William Craig and wife Dana, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Jenny Craig, of Augusta, Joseph Craig and wife Libby, of Benton, Matthew Craig, of Westbrook, Wendy Williamson Roberts and husband Roy, of Pensacola, Florida, Julie Williamson Ausbrook and husband Thomas, of Royse City, Texas, Jason Williamson, of McKinney, Texas; her great-grandchildren Jordan, Sam, Jacob, Zackary, Gavin, Riley, and Westley Craig, Evan, Cody, Aaron, Natya and Leila Craig, Sola Craig, Kaysi and Kaitlyn Roberts, and Toby Williamson; two great-great-grandchildren, Joshua and Anna Craig; many nieces and nephews; her son-in-law George Williamson, of Bedias, Texas.

She was predeceased by her parents and her siblings, Alfred, Ralph, Genevieve, Marie, Dana, and Tim.

There will be a funeral on Friday, June 10, at 2 p.m., at Kennebec Valley Baptist Church, followed by light refreshments and fellowship, with a committal service at Greenlawn Rest cemetery, in Clinton, at 4:30 p.m.

Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield, where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com.

Steven Pottle service

A memorial service for Steven Arthur Pottle will be held on Sunday, June 26, at 11 a.m., at Augusta Seventh-day Adventist Church, 235 Eastern Avenue, (Route 17), Augusta, ME.

 

 

 

 

 

 

VCS names three new staff

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

At a short special meeting June 6, Vassalboro School Board members hired three new staff members, Chairman Kevin Levasseur reported.

Joining the Vassalboro Community School staff are assistant principal Tabitha Brewer, SLP (speech-language pathologist) Madison Morneault and school counselor Gina Davis.

The next regular Vassalboro School Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 21.

Davidoff announces for District #61 seat

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Amy Davidoff

Amy Davidoff has announced a bid for House District #61 (Vassalboro and most of Sidney). She retired in 2019 as a Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine after a productive and fulfilling research and teaching career. She moved to Vassalboro with her partner Mary, where they built a high efficiency home with numerous solar panels.

Having sailed the coast of Maine for most of their lives, they have witnessed the adverse effects of climate change. Amy’s political philosophy has been formed in part based on her professional career in health sciences and a life time love of the sea. Amy has been involved in seeking solutions about solid waste disposal in Vassalboro, and expanding broadband access in Kennebec County.

A healthy environment that supports health and safety among all people is one of her top priorities and includes being a good steward of the planet as well as our community.

Free dental care for veterans

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On Saturday, June 11, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Aspen Dental locations nationwide will open their doors to provide free care to military veterans across the country.

Now in its eighth year, the Day of Service provides much-needed dental care for veterans at no cost to honor their service and break down barriers to health care.

Veterans can call 1-844-277-3646 (1-844-ASPENHMM) to find a location and schedule an appointment. Advance appointments are required.

There are five participating offices in the Auburn – Portland ME market.

791 Turner Street, Auburn, ME 04210 171 Maine Mall Road, South Portland, ME 04106

333 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901

125 Shops Way #126, Biddeford, ME 04005

17 Thomaston Commons Way, Thomaston, ME

Millions of Americans struggle to access dental care every year, and veterans are no exception. In fact, U.S. veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the Veterans Administration unless they’re 100 percent disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war.

Visit www.Healthy MouthMovement.com to learn more.

Bishop Deeley announces priest assignment

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Fr. Kuzia

Bishop Robert Deeley has announced priest assignments. The three appointments include one assignment to St. Michael Parish, in Augusta.

Effective September 1, 2022, Fr. Anthony F. Kuzia, CM, is appointed as parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish (St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Augusta; St. Augustine Church, Augusta; St. Joseph Church, Gardiner; Sacred Heart Church, Hallowell; St. Denis Church, Whitefield; St. Francis Xavier Church, Winthrop).

Fr. Kuzia currently serves as administrator of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Oquossoc. A native of Ansonia, Connecticut, Fr. Kuzia was received into the Vincentian community in 1969. He earned a master of divinity degree from Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, Pennsylvania, before making his final vows on June 13, 1974.

Fr. Kuzia was ordained to the priesthood in the Mary Immaculate Seminary chapel on May 29, 1976. Since his ordination, Fr. Kuzia has served as a parochial vicar at St. Michael Church in Derby, Connecticut; a faculty member at St. John Kanty Prep, in Erie, Pennsylvania; a superior, consultor, vocations director, and treasurer for the New England province of the Vincentian Order; a pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, in Lisbon; a vicar for priests for the Diocese of Portland; a pastor of St. Peter and Sacred Heart Parishes, in Concord, New Hampshire; a pastor of St. Patrick Parish, in Pelham, New Hampshire; and a parochial vicar of St. Stanislaus Parish, in New Haven, Connecticut.

In addition, Fr. Kuzia was responsible for supervising the construction of the DePaul Provincial Residence, in Manchester, Connecticut, and the current Holy Trinity Church, in Lisbon Falls.