Scouts honor veterans at local ceremonies

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One of the primary goals of Scouting is to instill in young people a desire to become participating citizens and foster good citizenship. During Veterans Day, Scouts all over the area were busy working alongside veterans in several projects and events.

Youth and leaders from Augusta Cub Scout Pack #603 and Troop #603 assisted a Veterans Seminar, held at American Legion Post #205. Scouts from Jackman and Boothbay took part in U.S. Flag retirement ceremonies on Veterans Day. Winslow Scout Troop #433 (Boys), Scout Troop #433 (Girls) and Cub Pack #445 all attended the Waterville Veterans Day ceremony at Memorial Park, on the corner of Park and Elm streets, joining veteran groups and others to honor those who answered the call to duty. The ceremony had a presentation of the five branches of the military as well as the POW flag.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: T-E-N-S-I-O-N

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by Debbie Walker

Do you have a sewing machine? (If so, I know you deal with tension!) When did you start sewing? Who taught you? If I mention the word “tension”, does it cause you to grin? How about patterns? Do you know how to read a pattern?

I grew up thinking everyone knows how to sew. Hand sewing or with the use of a sewing machine, including sewing on buttons, all could bring about tension,

Problems with “tension” can cause you to have physical body “tension” (stress). I know I am being a bit confusing with the use of the word tension. The tension on a sewing machine is designed to control how smoothly the machine stitches and the length of those stitches. Just recently I got out my machine, hoping that I could just give it a few drops of oil and be on my way. Well, it was not agreeable, the stitches wouldn’t have even come close to holding anything together. Now I put the little job away until I had more time to mess with the tension.

A couple weeks later I got the machine out again. Now I had enough free time to take my time. Would you believe the test subject got just about perfect stitches? No problem with either my body or machine “tension”!

I learned quite a bit about sewing long before I took Home Economics in my freshman year of high school. Before that class I was self taught by watching my great-grandmother sewing her patchwork aprons (She had one on when she was making a new one and she sewed the old one to the new one!) And I watched mom doing mending with just needle and thread.

I had a pair of pants that I loved, the zipper died, and I was heartbroken. Mom added to that pain by refusing to replace the zipper. I was a bit stubborn and decided I would put in the zipper while mom was at work. It was the first time I ever used her sewing machine without supervision. Through trial and error that day I managed to get the zipper in before mom got home from work. Mom never put in another zipper; those were jobs for me.

My home economics teacher left a lot to be desired. If my only experience with sewing was with her, I probably never would have attempted sewing again. However, I had enough positive influences around me that I still enjoy sewing, even dealing with the machine tension!

Sewing is fast becoming another lost art, much like tatting (making lace by looping and knotting a single strand of thread), also canning (seat weaving, it’s a craft using the cane from the inner skin of a rattan palm. Its woven to make the seat of a chair).

I couldn’t believe it but it happened where ever I was working. Once word got out that I sewed I always had buttons to sew on, jackets needed zippers, and dresses needed hemmed. It has already happened here in the campground. I really don’t mind, it doesn’t take much of my time.

Sewing today brought up a lot of memories. As crazy as things have been this week in the world around us. I didn’t want to become depressed. So my sewing today put me on the right track. The only “tension” I was willing to deal with today was with my machine.

I am just curious if you have hobbies to relieve your “tensions”. How about contacting me at DebbieWalker@townline.org and sharing with me? Have a wonderful week and thank you for your time to read!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Composer Richard Wagner

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Composer Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner

Composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was an egomaniac who, as my high school glee club director put it succinctly, knew he was great. His 16-hour Ring of the Niebelungen was premiered at Bayreuth, in Germany, in 1876 and has been produced many times since then. It is a mammoth quartet of four operas – Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung; and, depending with whom you speak, it is either a windy, bombastic spectacle of Teutonic screeching, screaming and shrieking or a masterpiece of operatic genius.

After listening off and on for over 40 years, I hold with the masterpiece view but plan to focus on my current favorite of the four, and one which has been a shade less popular than the other three, Siegfried.

The basic premise is simple. The Ring is one that enables its owner to control the world and its owner is the Niebelungen, a dwarf named Alberich who creates the ring, is robbed of it and tries to get it back. The 15 or 16 hours deal with an array of mythological gods and goddesses, giants and good and evil humans in this life/death struggle.

Siegfried is the son of Siegmund and Sieglinde, who fall in love and create this son before they find out they are long lost twin siblings, and becomes a central hero who is eventually killed by the treacherous Hagen , son of the dwarf Alberich.

Other details of this ever thickening plot are too detailed to go into but synopses are available on the Internet.
The opera Siegfried deals with Alberich’s brother Mime, a dwarf who found Siegfried as a child abandoned in the woods after his parents were killed and has been raising him. Unfortunately, Siegfried detests his foster father who meanwhile is plotting to steal the Ring from another thief. As stated earlier, the rest of the story can be enjoyed elsewhere.

The music in this opera has a savage, growling brilliance in its large-sized orchestra with extra brass and percussion and the singing when done well. And for me, the best listening approach is to forget about reading up on the plot ahead of time or follow the scripted libretto; simply let the music happen. It is some of the most piercingly eloquent music to be heard anywhere with a phenomenal range of emotions and dynamics from tenderly soft to climactically exhilarating.

The performance I have been enjoying for a while is a 1949 broadcast from the Vienna State Opera which has been available in a set of three CDs since 2009 (Myto, 00190) and also accessible on YouTube. The recorded sound is very good for its era while the musical cast was one of the finest, in particular tenors Gunther Treptow (1907-1981) as Siegfried, and William Wernigk (1894-1973) as Mime, soprano Gertrude Grob Prandl (1917-1995) as Siegfried’s sweetheart Brunnhilde and baritone Ferdinand Frantz (1906-1959) as Brunnhilde’s father Wotan, who is also King of the gods and temporarily in disguise as the Wanderer.

Maestro Rudolf Moralt (1902-1958) and, for several years music director of the Vienna State Opera, led a very exciting performance.

CRITTER CHATTER: Experiences at the wildlife center

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contributed photo

by Jayne Winters

Chatting with Don Cote at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center is always enjoyable. Don has years of interesting experiences and his stories are touched with a sense of humor, as well as extensive personal knowledge and an obvious love for animals. I thought I’d mention a few of them this month.

Earlier this year, Don received a call from a China resident complaining about three young woodchucks who were eating flowers from her garden. The mother woodchuck had been hit by a car and while sympathetic to their situation, the woman wanted the remaining family members relocated. Don’s attempts to trap them were unsuccessful, but he happened to mention it to friend Patrick Faucher, Animal Control Officer of Oakland. Pat suggested using flowers for ‘bait’ in the traps and sure enough, that did the trick! All three juvenile woodchucks were trapped and released in a more wooded area to munch to their hearts’ content.

This past spring, a warden brought in a weeks-old fawn that had been found asleep in a barn; its bottom jaw was hanging and obviously broken. Don took it to the local veterinarian for a general exam, but as he learned from past experience, the lower jaw was not tied to the upper jaw because it would prohibit bottle feeding. Don brought the fawn back to Duck Pond and kept it in a kennel to limit its movement, providing blankets for warmth and milk in a bowl four times a day. The fawn was able to drink the formula and, thankfully, the jaw didn’t snap any further, gradually healing on its own. Over a period of about three weeks, Don was able to feed the fawn from a bottle. It eventually recovered and was moved in with the other fawns; recently they were all put into a winter enclosure and will be released next year when they’re larger and able to survive on their own.

Not all situations have happy endings. Don responded to a report of a fox with mange that was lethargic and lying in mulch under a tree. It was wary of the trap and was later found hiding under a porch. Several days later, it was discovered curled up on some farm machinery, where it had died of its illness.

A chipmunk found at a campground was brought to the Center, but succumbed to what was likely a spinal injury. This fall, Don retrieved an immobile gray squirrel in Rockland that had fallen off a telephone pole. There was no singed fur, so Don didn’t think it had been electrocuted, but it did appear to be paralyzed. He’s administering electrolytes every few hours, but the prognosis isn’t good. Despite the losses, it’s comforting to know the critters at Duck Pond are tended to and pass peacefully, warm, and out of bad weather, away from potential predators.

As noted previously, the Center’s “Wish List” always includes bleach, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, towels, dry dog and cat food (no dye), canned dog and cat food (no dye), paper towels, frozen berries (no syrup), birdseed, and even apples (not from recently sprayed trees). While still available, disposable plastic grocery bags are used when cleaning pens of animal waste.

The Wildlife Care Center greatly appreciates the assistance from other rehabbers while Don and his long-time volunteer, Amy, deal with health issues. We ask that you check these websites to see if there is a rehabber closer to you to help make critter care at Duck Pond more manageable: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/rehabilitation.html Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a non-profit state permitted rehab facility supported by his own resources & outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. EMAIL: thewildlifecarecenter@gmail.com.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Clinton, China Libraries

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Albert Church Brown Memorial Library

by Mary Grow

Clinton’s Brown Memorial Library
China’s Albert Church Brown Memorial Library

Brown Memorial Library, in Clinton, is the third of the local libraries on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1899-1900, it was added to the Register on April 28, 1975.

In their application for the listing, Earle Shettleworth, Jr., and Frank A. Beard, of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, compared the Brown Memorial Library to Fairfield’s Lawrence Library (see The Town Line, Nov. 11) and Augusta’s Lithgow Library (see The Town Line, Nov. 18).

Architecturally, all three buildings are variations on the style of Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886). Shettleworth and Beard called Clinton’s library “a purer example of the Richardsonian ideal with an exterior exhibiting warm hues and contrasting colors in stone walls and trim, as opposed to the almost monochromatic use of granite and slate,” in Fairfield and Augusta.

Also, they wrote, “The Clinton Library, though symmetry is implied, is basically an asymmetrical composition, truer to Richardson’s buildings of the same type than either the Lithgow or Lawrence libraries, which reflect contemporary Beaux Arts symmetry clothed in a Richardson-derived exterior.”

They concluded, “The Clinton Library is the most exemplary structure of its kind in Maine and is an unusually large and elegant library for a small, rural community.”

John Calvin Stevens

Portland architect John Calvin Stevens (1855-1940) designed Brown Memorial Library. He has been mentioned before as the architect chosen to remodel Augusta’s Blaine House in 1920. Other Maine libraries he designed include Rumford Public Library, built in 1903 and added to the National Register in 1989; and Cary Public Library, in Houlton, opened in 1904 and added to the National Register in 1987.

Clinton’s library is on Railroad Street just north of the Winn Avenue intersection. Shettleworth and Beard described a single-story stone building on a partly raised basement (with windows), with a hipped roof. Reddish sandstone trim contrasts with greyish granite walls and a grey slate roof.

The building’s rectangular shape is broken by three “projections,” small ones on the back and south side and, on the front, to the right (south) of the main entrance, “a large five-bay projection trimmed in sandstone and capped with a semi-detached conical roof.” This projection features tall windows with narrow stone dividers between them.

The entrance is approached by granite steps and recessed under an arch. Above the arch is a “dormer:” a rectangular panel with the words “Brown Memorial Library”; above it, two small rectangular windows; and above them “a steep triangular pediment topped with a ball finial.”

Entry is through two doors with glass panels topped by “a colored glass transom,” Shettleworth and Beard wrote. The “small porch” inside the arch “is floored with a marble mosaic pattern.”

The north side of the front wall has two tall windows, narrower than the ones in the south tower.

The historians noted the origin of the various building materials. The rough granite for the walls is from Conway, New Hampshire; the sandstone for trim is from Longmeadow, Massachusetts; and the slate for the roof “was quarried nearby on the banks of the Sebasticook River.”

An on-line Town of Clinton history adds that the “ledge for the foundation” came from Clinton farmer J. T. Ward’s land.

Inside, the “vestibule,” “entrance hall” and original librarian’s room were straight ahead (by 1975, Shettleworth and Beard wrote, the librarian’s room was a children’s room). The room to the left was the stacks.

The reading room on the right is “the largest room in the building.” Lighted by the bow windows on the front and a smaller one on the side, the room has “a large fireplace flanked with built-in seats” on the back wall (the library’s “Cozy Nook”) and a pine ceiling “patterned with trusses and panels.”

“The interior plan, like the exterior, exhibits Steven’s faithfulness to Richardsonian principals [sic], being designed with a logical, functional simplicity,” Shettleworth and Beard wrote.

Clinton had no public library until William Wentworth Brown (April 19, 1821 – Oct. 22, 1911), born in Clinton but by 1899 living in Portland, bought the land, paid for the building and provided a $5,000 endowment (earning an annual income of $350, according to the 1901 annual report of the state librarian). The town history article says Horace Purinton, of Waterville, was the contractor for the building.

Shettleworth and Beard wrote that Brown presided at the Aug. 29, 1899, ground-breaking. The cornerstone was laid Sept. 25, “amid elaborate ceremonies.” The building opened to the public on July 21, 1900, and was formally dedicated on Aug. 15, when Brown presented it to the residents of Clinton.

The town history article identifies the first librarian as Grace Weymouth, “a descendant of Jonathan Brown [William Brown’s father].” One of William Brown’s four older sisters is listed on line as Eliza Ann Brown Weymouth.

Shettleworth and Beard wrote that Brown also provided many of the “books, furnishings and pictures.” The state librarian wrote that the library started with 2,500 books and had space for 10,000.

In 1902, Shettleworth and Beard said, Orrin Learned added “100 volumes of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies.” Library Assistant Director Cindy Lowell says they are still stored in the building.

(Orrin Learned [June 16, 1822 – July 2, 1903] was a Burnham native who moved to Clinton in 1900. He attended Benton Academy and, like his father Joel, made his living farming and lumbering in Burnham. He served on the select board and school committee and was a state representative in 1863 and 1873 and a state senator in 1877 and 1878.

The on-line biography of Learned says nothing about military service, Civil War or other, except that he was the great-grandson of Revolutionary War General Ebenezer Learned, who was Brigadier-General under Horatio Gates at the October 1877 Battle of Saratoga, where British General John Burgoyne was defeated.)

Clinton officials dedicated the June 2012 town report to the library. They explained that the 1899 trust specified that part of the trust fund interest would be used for “maintaining the building and library,” and that the operating budget would come from local taxes.

One of Brown’s gifts was Vinton’s portrait of him, Shettleworth and Beard wrote.

(An on-line search found Frederic (or Frederick) Porter Vinton [Jan. 29, 1846 – May 19, 1911], a Bangor native who lived in Chicago and later Boston, where he studied art at the Lowell Institute and in 1878 opened his portrait studio. Vinton began painting landscapes in the 1880s, but is known primarily as a portrait painter.)

Lowell said in late November 2021 that the huge painting had been sent away to be cleaned and restored. The restorers had uncovered a fur collar that had been completely obscured over the years, she said.

Brown said at the library dedication that it was a memorial to “my dear parents who were my ideal of all that is best and purest in life….” He expressed the hope that “the good to be derived from this gift may go on forever.”

* * * * * *

The Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, on Main Street, in China Village, less than 15 road miles south of Brown Memorial Library, in Clinton, has been in existence only since 1936, and in its present building since Jan. 1, 1941. Its name honors Albert Church Brown, whose widow donated money to buy and renovate a house dating from around 1827.

Albert Church Brown (no known relation to the Clinton Browns) was born in Winslow in 1843. He grew up in China; the China bicentennial history says he left when he was 16.

After service in the Civil War, Brown prospered as a businessman in Malden, Massachusetts. He died in 1922, leaving his widow, whose family connections with former China residents led to her interest in the library.

The two-story Federal building was formerly known as the Fletcher-Main House, after the two intermarried families who owned it. The building is in the China Village Historic District, a group of mostly residential buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 23, 1977 (see The Town Line, July 8, 2021).

The two Brown libraries share an interesting reputation: people who worked or work in each repeat the superstition that the buildings are haunted.

In Clinton, Assistant Director Cindy Lowell said the ghost is taken to be William Wentworth Brown himself, or “WW,” as she and colleagues call him. She cited two examples of “WW is up to something again.”

Once, she said, the library director’s eyeglasses vanished. Staff and patrons searched the building in vain. Days later, a fuse blew; Lowell went to the basement to replace it, and the missing eyeglasses were on the basement floor.

Another time, Lowell had just come to work, alone, when she heard a very loud slam in the basement. She waited until a patron came in before she went down to investigate – and found no explanation, nothing out of place.

Your writer is the former librarian at China’s Brown Memorial library. Several people familiar with the building assured her there was a ghost, though no one knew who it was. More than once she heard noises as though someone were moving upstairs when she was sure no living person was there; and if the sounds were made by mice, they left no other sign of their presence.

William Wentworth Brown

Various on-line sources say that William Wentworth Brown was born in Clinton on April 19, 1821, sixth of the seven children of Jonathan Brown (1776 – 1861) and Elizabeth “Betsy (or Betsey)” Michales (or Michaels) Brown (1784-1850). His parents and sister, Eliza Ann, are buried in Clinton’s Riverview Cemetery.

William Wentworth Brown

Jonathan and Elizabeth Brown were donors of Clinton’s Brown Memorial Church, now Brown Memorial United Methodist Church, according to Brown Memorial Library Assistant Director Cindy Lowell.

William Brown lived in Clinton until he was 21, when he moved to Bangor to work in his brother’s grocery business (probably his older brother, Warren, born in 1811).

In 1845, Brown started making timbers, decking and other essential pieces of wooden ships. In 1857, he moved the successful business to Portland.

Brown took note of the use of ironclads in the Civil War (the battle between the “Merrimack” and the “Monitor” was on March 9, 1862), and when in 1868 he and Lewis T. Brown (no relation?) were offered a chance to buy a sawmill in Berlin, New Hampshire, he changed businesses.

The two Browns enlarged the sawmill. In the 1880s William Brown bought out Lewis Brown and became sole owner of the Berlin Mills Company, as it was known until it became the Brown Company in 1917. This mill was one of several pulp and paper mills in Berlin.

Lowell quoted a report on the History Channel saying that Brown’s home in Berlin is now a museum.

On Feb. 6, 1861, Brown married his first wife, Emily Hart (Jenkins) Brown (Jan. 23, 1836 – Apr. 4, 1879), from Falmouth, Massachusetts. His second wife was Lucy Elizabeth (Montague) Brown (Jan. 16, 1845 – May 16, 1927); no marriage date is given. Genealogical records contradict each other on how many children he and his successive wives had.

This writer has found no information about William Brown’s career after the 1880s. She assumes it was profitable. Nor has she found any explanation for his decision that a library was the appropriate memorial for his parents.

William Brown died Oct. 27, 1911. He is buried with both wives and five children in a family plot in Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery.

Main sources

Grow, Mary M., China Maine Bicentennial History including 1984 revisions (1984).

Shettleworth, Earle G., Jr., and Frank A. Beard, National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form, Brown Memorial Library, April 4, 1975.

Personal interview.

Websites, miscellaneous.

Beans, beans and more beans!

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(Contributed photo)

If you had a chili dog or a cup of chili at the China Baptist Church Hamburger booth at the Windsor Fair….this is where it came from. Pastor Ron saved all the (clean) cans and had everyone build a pyramid with them during Fellowship hour after church Sunday. The booth used four batches of chili every day of the fair. Twenty one years ago a group from the church bought an older office trailer and converted it and built in a kitchen for the fair booth to raise money for the general fund. The church has been doing the fair for 20 years and the booth is staffed by volunteers. Four people, four shifts a day for nine days. Every Thursday of the fair the church’s Boy Scout troop #479 takes over the running of the booth to help out. If you missed us this year be sure and stop by next year.

PHOTO: Lawrence girls varsity, JV basketball team

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Front row, from left to right, Trinity Brickett, Amy Boyce, Maddy Niles, McKenzie MacAvoy, Emily Hagerty, MaKenzie Nadeau, Taylor Pellerin, Kaylee Elkins and Lizie Dumont. Back, Head Coach Greg Chesley, Assistant Coach Rusty Mercier, Maylie Knox, Ali Higgins, Lily Gray, Brianna Poulin, Nadia Morrison, Elizabeth Crommett, Hope Bouchard, Assistant Coach Joe Higgins. Absent from the photo is Saydee Wentworth. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography)

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Was the opossum really dead, or just acting that way?

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The Virginia opossum

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A friend of ours, who lives along the Kennebec River, in Fairfield, told us last weekend that she came across a “dead” opossum in her backyard. We’ll get to that later.

Opossums normally live in forested or brushy habitats, but they have adapted well to living close to people in cities and suburbs. Opossums will den nearly anywhere that is dry, sheltered and safe. This includes burrows dug by other mammals, rock crevices, hollow stumps, wood piles and spaces under buildings.

They are attracted to overflowing or odorous trash cans, uncovered compost heaps or other containers that you may have outside. They like to set up their habitat near water or moist areas. If you live near a pond, drainage ditch or sewer, you’re more likely to see opossums on your property.

When people picture a “possum,” most are actually thinking of an “opossum.” Possums are native to Australia, while opossums are native to North and South America. The Virginia opossum is the most commonly known opossum.

Opossums like to move into tree holes or dens left behind by other animals such as squirrels. Opossum nests in trees are lined with grass, hay, leaves, and cotton-like materials for insulation.

If there is an opossum in the backyard, don’t worry. They aren’t a threat, and more than likely they will be moving on in a short while. But far from being a nuisance, opossums can be beneficial for your garden, eating snails, slugs, insects and sometimes even small rodents.

Opossums, however, can cause damage to your lawns and backyards. If you notice small holes dug in the area, it may be an opossum. They want to get to grubs and other insects so they dig shallow holes in the dirt. They are not too deep but can still disturb the lawn. But, this sign doesn’t necessarily mean you have opossums around. Skunks will do the same thing.

A common question asked is if an opossum can get into your house. An open door or window may be an invitation for an opossum to enter your home. You may find an opossum in your home, especially if you have a “doggie door” for your pets. They can also move into your attic. Due to the lack of adequate tree hollows, possums move into roofs through holes and establish homes for themselves inside where it is safe and dark.

If you should find an injured opossum, contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitation unit and do not try to treat it on your own. It is also challenging to tell a dead opossum from the one that is playing dead (playin’ ‘possum), even if you poke and prod it: in that case, leave it be, and it will escape in a few hours. As I mentioned earlier, an opossum that looks dead, may not be. My friend did not say whether she saw the opossum again in the same location.

Opossums are incredibly impressive at playing dead, to the point where they can be picked up and carried away. Many opossums have been accidentally killed by well-meaning humans burying a “dead” opossum in their yard, or running over a “dead” opossum on the side of the road.

How about health issues with opossums in your area? It is extremely rare for them to get rabies so, if, you see one walking in circles it has most likely been hit or illness by ticks or brain damage.

Their territory is not always located in the same area. A possum can wander for miles, but if it finds a good hunting area, it will stay. The best place to release an opossum, raccoon, mouse or rat, etc., is in a wooded and, hopefully, wild area with access to water and food. The home range of an opossum is about 50 acres. They are not territorial to the extent that they defend their ranges from other opossums

Contrary to popular belief, opossums aren’t blind at all. They just have terrible eyesight during the day. Their pupils are always dilated, and as nocturnal animals, an opossum’s eyesight improves drastically at night.

Most opossums are around the size of a housecat. These marsupials have an elongated snout, and a large sagittal crest – a bone making their forehead look taller. They have scaly feet, and a scaly prehensile tail. A prehensile tail can be wrapped around branches to stabilize the animal while climbing.

Opossums, the only naturally occurring marsupial in North America, are incredibly interesting creatures. They have a number of distinguishing characteristics that are typically unknown to the general population. These scary-looking creatures are, unfortunately, misunderstood.

The poor opossum is generally viewed as an ugly pest of an animal. Though they will occasionally make their homes in our attics and crawl spaces, and feed from our garbage cans, opossums are only doing what they need to do to survive. They are frequently struck by cars searching for carrion and garbage on roadsides, and can be killed by domestic dogs. Opossums rarely cause injuries to humans, preferring to run and hide, or simply play dead.

Opossums have not been domesticated in any way. It is a wild animal, and should not be kept as a pet. In many states, including Maine, it is illegal to keep an opossum as a pet, and can result in a hefty fine.

Opossums are mainly solitary, but will share a living space with other animals. They will remain in a location as long as food and water are readily available, and will move on when resources run out. This behavior is called nomadic living. Opossums are nocturnal, and emerge from their dens to forage for food at night.

Opossums are marsupials, who carry their young in a pouch. They will give birth after a 12-14 day gestation period, and the young will emerge from the pouch 70-125 days later.

So, in the end, I have to ask the question: Was the opossum my friend saw really dead, or was it playin’ ‘possum?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

The last four quarterbacks for the New England Patriots have been Mac Jones, Cam Newton, Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe. Who was the quarterback before?

Answer can be found here.

Roland’s Trivia Question for Thursday, December 2, 2021

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Trivia QuestionsThe last four quarterbacks for the New England Patriots have been Mac Jones, Cam Newton, Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe. Who was the quarterback before?

Answer:

Steve Grogan.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, December 2, 2021

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RICHARD O. PULLEN

BENTON – Richard O Pullen, 75, passed away on Saturday, October 30, 2021. He was born to Leo A. Neptune and Marilyn (née Ballard) Hafford, on October 21, 1946.

Richard (Dickie to the family) was a proud member of the Penobscot Indian Nation of Indian Island. He enjoyed his time at the camp he proudly built on the Nation’s Alder Stream Township Trust land, especially during the annual moose hunt.

Surviving are his children, Kenneth Baggley and children,Tonia Ward and children, and Christine Hand and children; his siblings, Charles Manter, Paula Hook, Ruth Jewell, Linda Gordon, Penny Bubier, Vernann Childs, Dawn Minoty.

Richard was predeceased by his mother by just one day, his father Leo and his stepfather George Pullen; his brothers, Donald, Terry, Edward; his maternal grandparents Ralph and Jeanette Ballard; and his paternal grandparents Abraham and Florabelle Neptune; and two grandsons, Bakari and Anthony.

A Celebration of Life for both Richard and his mother was held at her childhood home, the Ballard Farm, in Sidney.

SUSAN M. MOFFETT

WATERVILLE – Susan Marie (Dubois) Moffett, 65, lost her battle with cancer on Sunday, November 14, 2021, at her home in Waterville . She was born May 29, 1956, in Waterville, the daughter of Wallace Louis and Shirley Ann (St. Peter) Dubois.

Susan attended Waterville schools and moved to Massachusetts in the mid-’70s where she helped operate Bill’s Trucking Repairs until returning to Maine. In Winslow, she worked eight years at Goudreau’s Assisted Living. She enjoyed snowmobiling, trips to Foxwoods Casino, fishing and raising pugs.

Surviving family members include sisters, Nancy Cayford and partner Daniel Pooler, of Waterville, Donna Spillman and husband Wayne, of Waterville, and Debora Goldsmith, of Fairfield; nieces and nephews, Vance Cayford, Jr., of Vaassalboro, Lori Cayford, of Fairfield, Tracey Trask and Danielle Newgard, of Winslow, Adam Spillman, of Hallowell, Matthew Goldsmith, of Fairfield; niece and goddaughter, Randi Marie Goldsmith, of Mansfield, Massachusetts, Jessica Dubois, of Charlotte, North Carolina, Rebecca Beaudoin of Watertown, New York; and several great-nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her brother, Timothy Dubois.

Honoring Susan’s request, her ashes will be joined with her mom in a small family gathering in the spring of 2022.

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

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to MaineGeneral Hospice, 10 Water Street, 3rd Floor, Waterville ME 04901.

GEORGE H. BOURASSA

VASSALBORO – George H. Bourassa, 85, of South Central Vassalboro, died peacefully on Monday, November 15, 2021. Born in Rumford, George was the son of the late George E. Bourassa and Margaret Romano Bourassa.

He graduated from Stephens High School , in Rumford, in 1954 and was proud to be a member of the Stephens 1953 Class A football championship team.

George had a deep commitment to serve his country and the State of Maine. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the Maine Army National Guard and attended Army ROTC while pursuing a degree in Forestry at the University of Maine, Orono. He spent college summers on a timber crew in the Lassen National Forest and at the Rast Farm, in Vermont.

Upon graduation from UMO in 1958, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served with the 1st BG, 5th Cavalry Division, in Korea. He would serve over 30 years of military service, retiring in 1996 with the Coast Guard Reserve, in Rockland.

Upon his return from Korea in 1960, George married Dorothy Dettloff, of Kittery, and began his forestry career with Eastern Pulpwood Co., in Calais. He was a sales rep for Timberland Machines and Aetna Life & Casualty, in Bangor. He began his service to the state of Maine as a tax examiner, and, in 1974, joined the Department of Conservation as a forester. He would hold several roles in the Maine Forest Service to include Director of Forest Fire Control and Forest Management Division. He also served the State of Maine for over 30 years, retiring in 2002, and epitomized the essence of leadership and forest stewardship for many to emulate.

George was most at home on the tractor at the farm, cutting firewood, mending and building stone walls, and tending gardens. He enjoyed bass fishing, British comedies, and travel. He and Dorothy enjoyed 24 cruises around the Caribbean during retirement. He enjoyed the company of friends and relatives near and from away. A special tip of the cap goes to friends and neighbors Blaine & Mary White.

George was predeceased by his brother Greg.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dorothy; his son Matthew Bourassa, of Bangor, and his wife Jody; as well as grandsons, Blake, Jack, and Trey.

An informal celebration of his life was held on Saturday, November 27, at the Bourassa residence, in Vassalboro.

JAMES A. LOVETT

OCALA, Flaorida – James A. Lovett, 87, passed away Thursday, November 18, 2021. He was born December 6, 1933, in Palmer, Massachu­etts.

James was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War. He was a superintendent for a construction company as well as a private pilot. He was a member of Maranatha Baptist Church, in Ocala, Florida, where he was a deacon and also worked on the sound system.

James is survived by his wife, Carole Lovett; sons, James C. Lovett, of Ocala, Florida, Raymond C. Lovett of Dunnellon, Florida, and Jon M. Lovett (Tammie) of South China; daughters, Cathy J. Williams (Wesley), of South China, and Cindy J. Prosser (Timothy), of Eatonton, Georgia; sister, Marjorie Lovett Babineau of Dunnellon; sister-in-law, Susan Korman; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Lewis “Bobby” Lovett, and his sister, Joan Lovett Donahue-Moran.

A memorial service and interment will be held at a later date in South China.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Marion County E.W. & Lucille Cate’s House, 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474 or at http://www.hospiceofmarioncounty.com/donate.

ESTELLE M. ROUTHIER

WATERVILLE – Estelle Morissette Routhier, 105, of Waterville, passed away peacefully during her afternoon nap Friday, November 19, 2021, at Lakewood Nursing Home, in Waterville. Estelle was born on October 3, 1916, in St. Come, Québec, Canada, and was the second eldest child of 14 children. Her older brother died as a child, leaving Estelle the eldest.

In 1926, the family home and most of the small village of St. Come burned to the ground. Estelle and her siblings were separated for a short time while her father rebuilt the family homestead. As the oldest, she was responsible for helping her mother raise her siblings. She also helped her dad at the funeral home preparing the decedents for viewing. From a young age, she took great pride in everything she did.

Estelle met the love of her life, Phillip Routhier, and they settled in Waterville in 1943. It was here they raised four children and were married for 41 wonderful years. While Phillip was working at the local mill, Estelle raised the children and took care of the homestead. She also worked in the evenings, cleaning and doing odd jobs to help raise money.

She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially camping at McGrath Pond, in Oakland. Of course, the many trips back home to visit her brothers and sisters in St. Come were her favorite. She hosted many family get-togethers and fulfilled her role as the family’s matriarch.

Estelle was never one to miss an opportunity. Throughout her 70s and 80s, she travelled to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela, where she went parasailing and even won a local beauty contest. She truly was a beautiful person, inside and out. Estelle wasn’t much for driving so she did all of her errands on foot. One day she was crossing KMD to get to the bank and she was struck by a car. Estelle was only bruised by the impact. She saw the elderly lady that hit her was very upset. So, she did the right thing and invited the lady back to her house to relax and have a cup of tea. Just one example of what a strong-willed and compassionate lady she was.

Estelle was predeceased by her husband Phillip, oldest brother Loranzo, father Raymond, mother Aurore, younger brothers, Robert, Paul, Marcel, and younger sisters, Aline, Yvette, Colette, Francoise, Juliette.

She is survived by her four children, Ralph, of Sidney, Patrick, of Waterville, Raymond and his wife Donna, of Benton, and Shirley, of Fairfield (predeceased by Earl and Dave), grandchildren, Stephanie and husband Marion, Christina and husband Bob, Tony, Scott and wife Rory, Angela, Nick and wife Meagan, Jay, Melanie, AJ; and great-grandchildren Kayla, Wyatt and Elizabeth; younger sisters, Georgette, Isabelle, Geatane, and her little brother, Jean-Guy; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Estelle will be laid to rest next to the love of her life, Phillip, at the Maine Veterans Cemetery, in Augusta.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, http://www.veilleuxfuneralhome.com.

JANE K. BICKFORD

OAKLAND – Jane K. Bickford, 80, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, November 20, 2021. She was born on June 7, 1941, in Waterville, the daughter of Elwood and Marion (Wilcox) Knowles.

Jane was raised by her maternal aunt and uncle, Evelyn and John Dustin, of Oakland. She was always grateful to them for welcoming her into their home and raising her as one of their own.

Jane attended Oakland schools and married John A. Bickford Sr., on September 3, 1956. She was a beloved “lunch lady” at RSU #18, serving generations of students for more than 35 years. Jane, along with her husband John, spent over 30 summers at Happy Horseshoe Campground, in Lexington, where they enjoyed the company of many friends and family.

Beginning at a very young age, Jane endured many hardships in her lifetime. Later this would include the loss of a son and in her final days, struggles with her health. Despite it all, Jane will always be remembered for her strong will, her undeniable laugh and her loving heart. For those left behind, we find comfort in knowing she is now at peace.

Jane is survived by her sons John Jr., Jimmie and Jerry and his wife Angela; grandson Eric Bickford; brother Robert Knowles; sisters-in-law Thelma O’Neal, Leatrice (Roger) Grevois, Charlene (Paul) Houle and Sandra Gradie; brothers-in-law Garey Bickford, Lawrence (Christine) Bickford; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Jane was predeceased by her husband John, son Jeffrey, brother Wayne Knowles, her parents, her aunt and uncle Evelyn and John Dustin, their children John and Harlan Dustin, Marion Warren and Audrey Conwell, sisters-in-law Rae Jean Knowles. Berlene Bickford, Annie Bickford and Lenora Tuttle, brothers-in-law Blynn, Thomas and Kenneth Bickford.

Per her wishes, there will be no services at this time. A graveside ceremony will be planned for the Spring of 2022.

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

KENNETH L. DIMMICK

WATERVILLE – Kenneth Lee Dimmick, 72, of Meadow Drive and formerly of Newland Ave., Augusta, died Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Oak Grove Center, Waterville, following an extended illness. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on April 9, 1949, the son of Frank Dimmick and Mary (McKinley) Dimmick.

Ken graduated from Cony High School, in Augusta, in 1967. He received an associate degree from the University of Maine at Augusta.

He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam War.

Prior to his retirement, Ken was employed by the Veterans Administration for 29 years.

While in Augusta, he was a member of Green Street United Methodist Church, and attended Pleasant Street United Methodist Church, in Waterville.

Surviving is his wife, Sara (Lilly) Dimmick, of Waterville; one son, Scott Dimmick, of Wales; one stepdaughter, Dyan Walsh, of Orono; two sisters, Linda Cronin, of Holden, and Judith Busch, of Palm Bay, Florida; and extended family.

There are no planned visiting hours or funeral services. Burial will be in Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta. Condolences, stories and photos may be shared at http://www.plummerfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, New England Chapter, Attn: Donor Sevices, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131.

PAUL E. PERKINS

WHITEFIELD – Paul E. “Perky” Perkins, 79, of Whitefield, passed away at his residence on Sunday, November 21, 2021, following a long and difficult struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. Paul was born in Gardiner on June 28, 1942, to Shirley and Lorraine Perkins.

He attended local schools and on April 10, 1978, he married Terry Creamer, and the two settled in White­field and raised a family. At a young age, Paul learned the value of a strong work ethic and spent his days working on the family farm. He adored his pigs (especially Elvira) and treated his livestock well. Later in life, Paul, known to many as “Perky”, delivered oil for Wadleigh’s where he was employed for 25 years.

Perky will be remembered as a kind and caring soul that could brighten any space. He was a devoted husband and amazing father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. A generous man, he was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

He was predeceased by his brother, Galen Perkins and his sister, Sandra Morang.

Paul is survived by his wife of 43 years, Terry A. Perkins, of Whitefield; his children, Roxanne Heaton and husband Rory, of Nebraska, Kevin Woodward, and April Monahan and husband Jeff; grandchildren, Christopher Perkins and his family, Justin Perkins and his family, Timothy Perkins and his family, Cody Woodward, Emma and Evan Monahan; and six great-grandchidren.

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

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Maine Parkinson Society (www.maine parkinson society.org/gift-and-donation).

NANCY C. STEEVES

VASSALBORO – Nancy Christine Steeves, 69, passed away on Monday, November 22, 2021. She was born to Bruce W. Hastings and Pat (Nollie Fitzpatrick), on October 3, 1952, growing up in a small farm community in Plano, Illinois, being one of six children.

Nancy married twice before meeting her forever partner. She and Frederick M. Steeves were married on March 14, 1984. Although his children were grown, Nancy became step-mom to Fred’s five children.

In 1976 Nancy went on a two week vacation to Alaska to visit her sister in Seward. She loved it so much, she ended up living there for 31 years. In 1979 Nancy agreed to take care of her sister Mary’s two young boys due to a cancer diagnosis. Jay and Joe have been the light of Nancy’s life ever since.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents, her two brothers, Dan and Bruce, her sister Mary, her son Alan Steeves, as well as several in-laws, nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her children Jerome Sturm, Joseph Sturm, Trilby Post, Mark Steeves, Noreen Skillman, Bobby Raynes; sisters Susan Broughton and husband Butch, Linda Patrick and husband Michael; her sisters-in-law Carole Hastings, Debbie Hastings, Carla Steeves, Judy Steeves, Pricilla and Ruth Kite.

Nancy worked in retail, office administration, and was the City Events Coordinator in Seward, Alaska. She also was a dental assistant and dental office manager in Augusta. Nancy was involved for several years in community theater and little league baseball.

She has been surrounded by so much love and support after her cancer diagnosis that it is difficult to put into words her appreciation and all those who stood with her.

She also leaves behind her Life Group of Mark and Lori Reynolds, Walt and Sherri Beaudoin, Chris and Kimberlyn Smith, Kim Helms, Kris Kringle, Blaine and Arielle Bacon, Mike Chabot and Tara Adams, Elise Mika and Sunita Raynes. As a result of having cancer, she began an extensive collection of giraffes, which brought much joy to her life and those around her.

A celebration service of Nancy’s life will be held January 15, 2022, at 10 a.m., at Centerpoint Community Church, 155 West River Road, in Waterville.

ROBERT J. BILODEAU

WATERVILLE – Robert “Bob” Joseph Bilodeau, 84, passed away on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, in Waterville. He was born in Waterville on January15, 1937, son of the late Albert and Yvette Bilodeau.

Bob grew up in Winslow and graduated from Winslow High School.

Bob was a wonderful, loving, devoted husband, father and brother. His family was blessed by his faith, love of music, humor, unselfish ways, generous heart, and amazing love for them. His love of life touched the lives of everyone who knew him and he will be missed greatly.

At a young age, Bob’s talents as a drummer were obvious. In the early 1950s, as a young man in high school, he was given permission by his parents to play the drums with Fred Petra and Gerry Wright in local bars and hotels. He played at Hotel Emma, in Waterville, where he had the opportunity to jam with the Ink Spots. He continued his professional drumming experience playing for many famous acts when they were in Maine and New York performing. He played for Brenda Lee; Myron Floren; Bobby Vinton; the New Christy Minstrels; Frank Fontaine; George Jessel; the Lennon Sisters; the Al Corey Orchestra, The Elders Dixieland Band; and many, many others. Bob also had his own trio at the Fenway Howard Johnson’s in the Hearthside Lounge, in Waterville, for 11 years and he enjoyed playing for the Shrine Circus and the New York State Fair for many years.

Bob had a few jobs throughout his life, including a truck driver with Clausen Oil, and a foreman at LaVerdiere’s warehouse, in Winslow. But his passion was always drumming. He loved music!

Shortly after LaVerdiere’s closed, Bob began working as the drummer in the orchestra at the Mount Washington Hotel, in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. His wife, Jeannette, also worked there as a switchboard operator. They enjoyed their time together at the hotel and continued to work there for 10 years until poor health forced them to retire in 2004.

Bob was a charter member of the Winslow Jaycees and was in the National Guard for nine years, honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. He was a former Cub Scout leader and a lifetime member of the Waterville Elks Lodge #905.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cribbage, and camping, having spent many seasons at Green Valley Campground, in Vassalboro, when his children were young. He loved telling jokes, laughing, and spending time with his family and friends.

Bob was predeceased by his parents and his wife and soulmate of 58 years, Jeannette.

He is survived by his daughter, Susan Forbes and son-in-law Jim, of Benton; his son, John Bilodeau and daughter-in-law Denise, of Largo, Florida; and his sister, Sylvia Bilodeau, of Waterville; many aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, God-children.

Per Bob’s wishes there will be no visiting hours. A funeral Mass will be held at Notre Dame Church, in Waterville, on Tuesday December 7, at 10 a.m.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, http://www.VeilleuxFuneralHome.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice in Bob’s memory.

CAROLE A. LOVETT

OCALA, Fla. – Carole A. Lovett, 83, passed away Friday, November 26, 2021. She was born June 28, 1938, in Duluth, Minnesota.

Carole worked as a seasonal tax preparer after relocating to Florida in the late 1990s. Carole was also an assistant treasurer for a bank and treasurer for Maranatha Baptist Church, in Ocala, Florida, where she was a member. She also sang in the choir and was part of the Adeline’s Quartet at church.

Carole is survived by her sons, James C. Lovett, of Ocala, Florida, Raymond C. Lovett, of Dunnellon, Florida, and Jon M. Lovett (Tammie), of South China; daughters, Cathy J. Williams (Wesley), of South China, and Cindy J. Prosser (Timothy), of Eatonton, Georgia; brother, Raymond “Mike” Clark, of Charlton, Massachusetts; and sister, Susan Korman of Ocala, Florida; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James A. Lovett.

A memorial service and interment will be held at a later date in South China.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Marion County E.W. & Lucille Cate’s House, 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474 or at http://www.hospiceofmarioncounty.com/donate.

HARRY FRASER

WINSLOW – Harry Fraser, 69, of Winslow, passed away early in the week of November 22, 2021. Born on January 28, 1952, in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada, Harry was the only son born to Eleanor (Fox) and Herbert Fraser.

Tales from his youth reveal a zest for life and mischief as well as a deep appreciation for the families that embraced him as their own during his youth in the town of New Glasgow, Noca Scotia. Harry grew up in a vibrant and well established neighborhood of young families sharing common values and tight knit bonds that had a lasting impact on his personal development. Always one to lend a hand, his smiling face and unassuming demeanor warmed the hearts of everyone he encountered, especially the moms. It could be said that his upbringing and late blooming as a student contributed more to his success in life than any other factor.

Upon graduation from NGHS, Harry enrolled at Husson College, in Bangor, where he developed lifelong friendships on campus as a member of the TKE fraternity. Graduating with a degree in accounting, he and his wife Linda (Hamblen) Fraser moved to Millinocket, then to the Waterville area, which would become his home for life.

Harry will be remembered by many as an enthusiastic lifelong learner, always considering himself a student first and foremost. This outlook became the backdrop for his professional success, spanning industries dedicated to cutting-edge computer manufacturing, hand-crafted furniture, and heirloom seeds. His professional passions peaked in his work with a dynamic group of collaborators at the Maine Institute for Family Owned Businesses. It was the honor of his lifetime to serve alongside such talent.

On a personal level, Harry was a mentor, best friend, father, brother, hockey rink builder, and an overly exuberant supporter of his kids’ sports teams. He was always happiest ‘gifting’ of himself, his time and energy, his compassion and his support whenever the occasion arose. This trait and his strong desire to maintain integrity and dignity in all his relationships were very much a reflection of the moral fiber of his father Herb and his maternal grandfather Harry Fox, both highly regarded men from the small coal mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia.

Harry was predeceased by his parents, his sister Patricia and a Aunt Kay.

He is survived by three sons, Ben Fraser, of Littleton, New Hampshire, Chad Colford, of Waterville, Jacob Fraser and wife CJ, of Arlington, Massachusetts; daughter Courtney Colford, of Winston- Salem, North Carolina; and his two granddaughters, Margaret Eleanor and Acadia Jane.

Harry always maintained strong family connections to his Canadian clan, nephews Luke Morris and Jim Dexter; sister Diane and her husband Barry; cousin Fred Hawker; and the ‘neighborhood’ family friends of his youth, especially the MacKinnon and Locke families, who held a very special place in his heart.

A celebration of Harry’s life will be held at a later date for friends and family.

Arrangement 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

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that any gifts be directed to the Maine Institute for Family-Owned Business at the following web address: https://www.fambusiness.org/Donations.

GENEVA L. ELLIS

AUGUSTA – Geneva Lewis Ellis, 91, passed away on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, following a period of declining health. Geneva Joyce Lewis was born on January 30, 1930, the second youngest of seven siblings, the daughter of Leslie Wadsworth Lewis and Blanche (Robinson) Lewis.

She grew up on a farm in North Whitefield, and attended schools locally. During the summers of her high school years, Geneva was a dishwasher and cook’s helper for a local family campground in China. She played high school girls varsity basketball for three years and was co-captain of the team during her senior year at Erskine Academy, in South China. Geneva graduated on June 6, 1948 as Second Honor Essayist and attended Ricker College, in Houlton, for one year.

Geneva worked as a switchboard operator for the China Telephone Company before going to work for Central Maine Power Company. It was at a Fireman’s Benefit Dance, in South China, that Geneva met Wilbur S. Ellis, and following a short courtship, they were joined in matrimony on November 15, 1952, at the Christ Church, in Gardiner.

Geneva was a hardworking stay at home mother to her five children. When the last child entered school, she went to work at Boucher’s Butcher Shop, in Winslow, then onto the Maine State Department of Taxation, retiring in 1995 from the Maine State Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages.

Geneva will be remembered for her kind spirit. She had a sweet gentle nature about her that made you instantly comfortable enough to want to sit and chat. She was devoted to her family and loved them all unconditionally.

Geneva was an amazing cook and baker. She made clothes for her growing family and enjoyed knitting. In her later years, Geneva treasured the time she spent with her family. She took pleasure in reading novels, going on long car rides, and watching all sports, particularly woman’s basketball. Geneva was a communicant at St. Barnabus and St. Mark’s Episcopal churches, in Augusta. She was a member of Christ Church, in Gardiner.

Geneva is survived by her husband Wilbur, of 69 years; her five children, Kim and spouse Rena, Timothy, Jill, Scott, Tracy Greaney and her spouse Scott; grandchildren, Michael and spouse Theresa, Kyle, Chelsea Haskell and spouse Bryden, Sarah Ellis-Humphrey and spouse Troy, Joshua and his significant other Danielle Doyon, Emily Stauffer and spouse Matthew, Benjamin Greaney and Adam Greaney; great-grandchildren, Braden and River Ellis, Cooper Ellis, Ivan, Oliver, Avery and Everly Haskell, Caleb and Colby Humphrey, and Lillian Stauffer; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces, and great-grandnephews too numerous to mention; her sister-in-law, Theresa Ellis.

Geneva was predeceased by her parents and grandparents Leslie and Annie (Plummer) Lewis. She was the last surviving sibling being predeceased by Mabel Charles, Marion Boynton, Leslie Lewis Jr, Helen Lewis, Mary Bailey and Caroline Griswold.

Per Geneva’s request there will be no visiting hours. Private graveside services will be held at Rest Haven Cemetery, in Windsor, at a later date.

Arrangements are by Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, One Church Street Augusta.

An online guestbook may be signed, and memories shared at www.familyfirstfh.com

Donations may be made in Geneva’s memory to Christ Church, 2 Dresden Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345-2633.

LUCILLE M. GOWER-WYMAN

WATERVILLE – Lucille passed away on Friday, October 22, 2021, of natural causes.

Lucille worked as a housekeeper at Mount Saint Joseph’s, in Fairfield, for many years.

Lucille was the sweetest lady you’ll ever meet. She loved everyone she met. She will be missed dearly.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald Gonyou; sons Alan Roberts and Darryl Roberts; her grandchildren Amanda Roberts and Rena Giles; and great-grandchildren Taylor, Dylan, Emily Mullen and Ariella Roberts.

Celebration of life is December 3, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Ron and Lucille’s house, in Waterville. Contact Amanda 207-691-3518.