Legal Notices, Week of June 21, 2018

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STATE OF MAINE
PROBATE COURT
COURT ST.,
SKOWHEGAN, ME
SOMERSET, ss
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
18-A MRSA sec. 3-801

The following Personal Representatives have been appointed in the estates noted. The first publication date of this notice June 21, 2018.

If you are a creditor of an estate listed below, you must present your claim within four months of the first publication date of this Notice to Creditors by filing a written statement of your claim on a proper form with the Register of Probate of this Court or by delivering or mailing to the Personal Representative listed below at the address published by his name, a written statement of the claim indicating the basis therefore, the name and address of the claimant and the amount claimed or in such other manner as the law may provide. See 18-A MRSA 3-804.

2018-156 – Estate of EDMUND F. WEBB, late of West Forks Plantation, Me. Gerald F. Stackpole, PO Box 136, West Forks, Me 04985 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-159 – Estate of McKINLEY DOODY, late of Fairfield, Me deceased. Debra Doody, 272 Upper Main Street, Fairfield, Me 04937 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-162 – Estate of MICHAEL DAVID LANGE, late of Saint Albans, Me deceased. Leslie D. Obiri, 2520 Walters Way #24, Concord, CA 94520 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-163 – Estate of ALMA L. FRENCH, late of Solon, Me deceased. James Abbott Withers, 433 Reids Road Extension, Echo Bay ON P0S 1C0 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-164 – Estate of LEONA A. SMITH, late of Pittsfield, Me deceased. Grayln S. Smith, PO Box 128, Greenville, Me 04441 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-165 – Estate of BRADLEY M. KING, late of Madison, Me deceased. Kerryann Davis, 37 Lakewood Road, Madison, Me 04950 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-169 – Estate of VIOLA M. HUTCHINS, late of Fairfield, Me deceased. Renee Reynolds, 23 Hutchins Road, Fairfield, Me 04937 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-170 – Estate of LINWOOD S. DUNPHY, late of Pittsfield, Me deceased. Colleen D. Martin, 223 Hamilton Terrace, Pittsfield, Me 04967 and James D. Dunphy, 122 Lincoln Street, Pittsfield, Me 04967 appointed Co-Personal Representatives.

2018-171 – Estate of CLARENCE T. LIVINGSTONE, late of Moxie Gore Township, Me deceased. Clarence Ayotte, 456 Campground Road, North Anson, Me 04958 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-172 – Estate of MARYANN SHAW, late of Skowhegan, Me deceased. Robert Shaw, 23 Dominic Street, Skowhegan, Me 04976 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-173 – Estate of TROY G. CORMIER, late of Jackman, Me deceased. Tracy H. Cormier, 40 Donovan Road, No. Brookfield, MA 01535 and Todd R. Cormier, 111 Waite Corner Road, No. Brookfield, MA 01535 appointed Co-Personal Representatives.

2018-174 – Estate of IRENE F. TUTTLE, late of Canaan, Me deceased. Trudy Tuttle Hart, 74 Main Street, Canaan, Me 04976 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-175 – Estate of THEODORE W. WEBB III, late of Madison, Me deceased. Gannet N. White, 118 North Street, Waterville, Me 04901 appointed Personal Representative.

2018-047 – Estate of ROMONA MAE BROWN, late of Hartland, Me deceased. Todd Brown, 351 Nokomis Road, St. Albans, Me 04971 and Troy Chipman, 1107 Canaan Road, Hartland, Me 04943 appointed Co-Personal Representative.

2018-180 – Estate of ROLAND J. LEARY, late of Fairfield, Me deceased. Travis C. Leary, 241 Hill Road, Clinton, Me 04927 appointed Personal Representative.

To be published on June 21, 2018 & June 28, 2018.
Dated: June 19, 2018 /s/ Victoria Hatch,
Register of Probate
(6/28)

STATE OF MAINE
PROBATE COURT
SOMERSET, SS
NOTICE TO HEIRS
Estate of
THEODORE W. WEBER III
DOCKET NO. 2018-175

It appearing that the following heir of THEODORE W. WEBER III, as listed in an Application for Informal Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative is of unknown address as listed below:

George Weber, address unknown

THEREFORE, notice is hereby given as heir of the above named estate, pursuant to Maine Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 4(d) (1) (a), and Rule 4 (e) a.

This notice shall be published once a week for two successive weeks in The Town Line, with the first publication date to be June 21, 2018.

Names and address of Personal Representative: Gannet N. White, 118 North Street, Waterville, Me 04901.

Dated: June 21, 2018
/s/ Victoria Hatch,
Register of Probate
(6/28)

I’M JUST CURIOUS: My mother’s like this….

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by Debbie Walker

We will get to the “Mother” part of this story but first we’ll do the background.

Most of you know I am part of the Foster Grandparent Program and I volunteer in a first and second grade class. I think I have mentioned before how much I enjoy the kids and the teacher. Today I had an amazing experience.

I walked in the classroom to find a gift bag on my table. I opened up the card to find a note from the mother and a note from her child, one of our students.

The mother spoke of her child and that she knew her child enjoyed spending time with me. I believe the sentence that really got to me was she said he always has a smile on his face when he talks about me. She thanked me for all I do. His note was thanking me for being there in his class.

Tears were building up in the corners of my eyes as I finished reading. It got worse when I opened the gifts. There were two gifts in that bag. One was a beautiful little fairy sitting and holding a gem in her hand. The other gift was a fairy cottage that even lights up. They are beautiful. Then I really had to work at holding back the tears. I was hoping the kids would all go outside without seeing me break down in tears!

My main reason for telling this story is because, without their names for privacy, I would like to honor both mother and child with this writing.

Maybe I shared with you about how I read these kids a couple of the fairy stories I’ve written. My stories do not have illustrations yet. I told them to close their eyes and use their imagination to “see” the story. That’s a lot to ask of kids in this age bracket. They did wonderful! Their teacher looked in on us because the kids were all so quiet. After the story they asked to have time to draw the things they “saw.”

The pictures they drew were so cute! One of them, this boy, drew a picture of the house, a sun and the tree of “Apple Tree Notch,” home of the Bailey family fairies from my series. He gave his drawing to me and said, “Will you draw in the fairies and their friends.” So we finished it and he took the original home to show Mom.

The thing that truly inspired me to write this is the thoughtfulness and understanding of this Mom. It was months ago that we did the activity and yet Mom had not forgotten.

Mom understood that her son has a “connection” over something to me. “Connection” is a term they learned this year to connect them to different aspects of a story. To me this Mom is amazing and will help her son travel miles over the educational highways of his life. With Mothers like this there is hope for all of our futures.

I’m just curious the “trip” this boy will have with the obvious understanding of his Mom. I love questions and comments!! Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!! Don’t forget we are also on line.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Violin Concertos; Singer: Don Williams; Movie: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Bjarne Brustad

Violin Concerto No. 4

William Walton

Violin Concerto

Bjarne Brustad

Camilla Wicks, violin, with Herbert Blomstedt and Yuri Somonov conducting the Oslo Philharmonic, Simax PSC 1185, CD, live broadcasts.

Sir William Walton

The 4th Violin Concerto of Bjarne Brustad (1895-1978), one of Nor­way’s leading 20th century composers, is a meandering exercise full of dramatic, pounding chords that go no­where; the only Violin Concerto of Sir Wil­liam Wal­ton (1901-1983) is an exciting example of perky, exotic rhythms and emotionally wistful poetry that, for me, gets better with every hearing. Both performances are as fine as is usually the case with the wonderful violinist, Camilla Wicks, and conductors Herbert Blomstedt in the 1968 broadcast of Brustad and Yuri Simonov in a 1985 one of Walton.

Wicks, now 89 and retired since 2005, made her debut playing a Mozart Concerto at 7.

Don Williams

Country Boy
MCA, MCAC-37232, cassette, released 1977.

Don Williams

I first encountered Don Williams (1939-2017) as part of Pozo Seco, an exquisitely accomplished duo that included another singer, Susan Taylor, and in 1969, when I was a high school senior . They released an LP, Shades of Time, consisting of a folk­/country assortment of very fine songs that were finely performed – I have owned a few copies over the last 50 years because I kept letting them go to others.

When he became a purely country singer, I still liked the smoothly soothing voice and delivery but thought the songs were mainly so-so or, at best, okay, thus losing interest in him.

Country Boy, a 1977 studio album was the usual assortment of his trademark love ballads and did not sustain my interest. However, his integrity and personality were of the highest calibre throughout his phenomenally successful career. He was a model husband to his wife of 57 years and wonderful father to two sons!

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World

starring Spencer Tracy, Phil Silvers, Mickey Rooney, Jonathan Winters, Jimmy Durante, Three Stooges and almost every other comedian and numerous actors and actresses alive in 1963; directed by Stanley Kramer; approximately 3 hours, DVD.

This is the funniest, longest, most expensive and most profitable comedy ever produced in cinema history. I have seen it at least 20 times and still laugh myself into a strait jacket.

A few examples of its humor – Buddy Hackett and Rooney in an airplane with the drunk pilot, Jim Backus, knocked out; Jonathan Winters single-handedly destroying a garage; Jimmy Durante driving 1 mph around hairpin curves with no railings and weaving on both sides and several dozen greedheads on a rickety ten-story fire ladder! One final funny – arch con man Phil Silvers licking his smiling cobra chops and spewing, “Try me – I’m gullible!”

Best watched in two or three installments or you will be laughed out!

PAGES IN TIME: St. Denis Church observes 200th anniversary

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Peter Taylor, from the town of Washington, has attended St. Denis Church, in Whitefield, for 40 years, and for him, there is no place like it.

“I just feel the Holy Spirit in this building,” he said. “It’s the community that brings that feeling to me.”

Al Parker, who has attended the church for more than a quarter century feels similarly. He said he used to travel around the country and the world for his work, but none of the churches he found compared to St. Denis.

“St. Denis is very, very unique. The people there are unbelievable. The community that we have is second to none,” he said.

Taylor and Parker were among the many parishioners who filled St. Denis Church on Sunday, June 10, to commemorate the church’s 200th anniversary. Bishop Robert Deeley celebrated the anniversary Mass (20 pictures below).

“The records of history show that there was only a small Catholic community here in Whitefield when Bishop Cheverus, then Bishop of Boston, of which Maine was a part, visited in 1812. There were perhaps five Catholics. Five years later, however, the reality was quite different. The rich farmland of the Sheepscot River Valley, available for a reasonable price, had drawn many Irish immigrants who had come to America seeking a new way of life, just as immigrants do today,” the bishop recounted in his homily.

St. Denis Church, originally spelled with two “n’s”, is the second oldest Catholic church in New England, predated only by St. Patrick Church in Newcastle. The church got its start when Father Dennis Ryan, who had been assigned pastor of St. Patrick by Bishop Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus in 1818, recognized the growing population in Whitefield and chose to move there.

Work on the first church began that same year, and it was consecrated by Bishop Cheverus in 1822. The original church was a white, wood-framed building with no pews. People would stand or kneel on the floor.

“The first settlers knew they needed their faith, and their faith was not their own. It needed a community and a place to celebrate Mass. They knew the meaning they derived from the love of God they experienced in their relationship with Jesus. They wanted to nurture that for themselves in the harshness of winter in a new place, and they wanted to hand it on to their children. It is the legacy they passed on to you. You and I are now the brothers and sisters of Jesus in this place,” the bishop said.

The church community continued to thrive, and in the 1830s, the Irish Catholic population of the parish had grown to nearly 1,200. Unfortunately, the church also wasn’t well maintained, which caught the attention of Bishop Benedict Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, who visited in 1832. He urged the community to build another church, and the following year, work on the current church began.

“The Irish Catholics wanted the new church to be on the same spot as the old church, so they put the bricks right over and around the wooden church, so they still had a place to go to church,” said Libby Harmon, a longtime parishioner who researched the history and was one of the organizers of the celebration. “When they got the walls and the roof of the new brick church done, they then disassembled the wooden church and took it out through the front doors.”

The new church was consecrated by Bishop Fenwick in 1838. At the time, it was Maine’s largest Catholic church building, as well as having the largest congregation.

The church was designed like a typical New England meetinghouse, an appearance it retains today. Among the changes along the way, however, was a new Italianate-style tower, which replaced the old belfry in 1862. Around 1890, stained-glass windows were added, the sanctuary was enlarged, and decorative work was added to the walls and ceiling.

In 1976, it was entered on the National Register of Historic Places. The church underwent a major restoration beginning in 1997.

“It’s quite a quaint building, very nostalgic, old, but very comforting. It’s a very nice place to worship,” said Parker.

St. Denis Church is now part of St. Michael Parish in Augusta, but it has maintained its rural character, as well as its loyal congregation.

“I think one of the things that maybe is special for us is that families come from surrounding communities. It’s not like being in the city where everybody is right here. People come from afar to come here,” said Mary Caswell, whose ties to the church span four generations, since her great grandparents immigrated from Ireland. “We’ve had, over the years, to be very independent.”

“My mother, she brought us up here, and I still live in this area. It’s just very special,” said Louise Reed, Caswell’s sister.

“It’s very nice. Wonderful, wonderful people,” said Anne Springer, age 102.

The church was full for the Mass, as was the parish hall for a celebratory brunch.

“I’m just very, very happy to be part of this 200th, because it is so significant in the history of the Church in Maine,” said Father Frank Morin, pastor of St. Michael Parish. “People really supported it, and I’m very happy that we gave them the opportunity to appreciate again their heritage, especially the descendants of the original families, several of whom are here and who have not forgotten their roots.”

Among those in attendance were several Sisters of Mercy. From 1871 to 1888, the Sisters of Mercy ran an orphanage at a convent across the street from the church and also taught schoolchildren. Several sisters are buried in the church’s historic cemetery.

Concelebrating the Mass with the bishop was Father Morin; Monsignor J. Joseph Ford, a native son of the parish; Father Ralph Boisvert, who formerly served there; and Father Roger Chabot. Father Arokiasamy Santhiyagu, HGN, a parochial vicar of St. Michael Parish, joined the gathering for the reception.

As the St. Denis community celebrates its 200th anniversary, the bishop stressed the importance of continuing to gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, which is why the church was first built.

“As we begin the third century of Catholic life in this valley, it is a good opportunity to ask God for the grace we need to be faithful to Jesus’ invitation to be part of his family, ‘whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’ If we do that together as Church, the Lord will be with us, and we will bring the light of Jesus’ message into our world,” the bishop said.

China resident sworn in as new state police chief

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John Cote, left. (Contributed photo)

John Cote, of China, was recently sworn in as Chief of the Maine State Police. Cote, a 29-year veteran, has served as deputy chief for the past two years and is the former commanding officer for Troop F, in Houlton. He spent the majority of his career in Aroostook County. He also served several years as a Detective-Sergeant investigating homicides.

He was sworn into office by Governor LePage in the governor’s cabinet room in front of a roomful of family and co-workers. His badge was pinned on by his 82-year-old father, Morris Cote, of Houlton.

Veteran Messalonskee bus driver retires

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Donna Pullen

by Dan Cassidy

Donna Pullen, a 51-year veteran school bus driver for RSU #18 Messalonskee School Department was treated to a surprise retirement party by her fellow bus drivers and supervisors recently. She plans to retire at the end of this school year.

Pullen began her employment in the nutrition department at the school. She was asked several times to become a bus driver, but she always responded that she could not drive a bus. However, in 1967, after many requests, she began her driving career.

“She has gone through three generations of kids,” according to Lennie Goff, Transportation Director of RSU #18. “She drove summer trips and has not stopped,” he said.

“Donna has always had the perfect words at the perfect time to help me feel better about myself when I began as transportation coordinator almost four years ago,” Shannon Bizier said.

Pullen, who resides in Oakland, has been very active in her community affairs. She has served as a public servant, worked on the budget committee, and served on the Fire Department Auxiliary. She was also named Driver of the Year in 2015. “Donna has gone above and beyond,” Goff said.

Mike Perkins, State Representative presented her with a Legislative Sentiment from the 128th Legislature at the celebration. Perkins is also Safety Officer of RSU 18.

Vassalboro Community School Principal Dianna Gram retires after 24 years

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Retiring VCS Principal Dianna Gram, left, greets children at the start of a new school day with in-coming Principal Megan Allen. (Photo courtesy of Mary Grow)

by Mary Grow

Principal Dianna Gram is retiring from Vassalboro Community School this month with mixed feelings.

She expects to miss people she’s worked with over more than two decades, especially the students.

But she’s totally confident incoming principal Megan Allen is the right person to succeed her. “I have a great sense of relief and pride in her similar values,” Gram said, predicting a smooth transition.

As we talked in the principal’s office one afternoon after classes were over, those shared values kept coming up.

For example, both women prefer the school when it’s full of students, not almost quiet as it was then. “It isn’t a real place,” without students, Gram said, and Allen called it “kind of eerie.”

Both talked about the unusual atmosphere at the school – a real community, to both of them. Whole families go through the grades, and now Gram is seeing the children of former students.

Allen referred to “something different you feel when you walk through the door” – nothing she can define, but an environment and culture she has every intention of preserving.

Students walking through the door in the morning are apt to see Gram first thing, as she habitually meets them in the lobby. If a student looks distressed, Gram is likely to pull him or her aside and see if she can find out what’s wrong and take care of it.

Sometimes, she said, she gets an immediate reaction. Other times, Allen said, the student will come to an adult a few days later to talk about the issue.

Sometimes, too, a bus driver will notice a child acting unhappy and will call ahead to ask Gram to check.

VCS is not perfect. Gram admits there are problems, including bullying. But, she said, school adults try to be proactive, for example by having the school counselor spend time in classrooms. Students are encouraged to speak up if they see something wrong, to an adult or to other students. Discipline is used when necessary.

Students are surveyed every year, Gram said. Typically, 90 percent or more say they feel safe at VCS, and almost every student knows an adult to go to if he or she needs help.

Kindness is one of the values stressed at VCS. At the beginning of each school year, students are encouraged to report acts of kindness; the benefactor’s name is written on a piece of paper and the papers hung on the kindness tree in the rotunda for the year.

Two other positive comments were, from Gram, that teachers feel empowered to suggest and try out new ideas, like the Citizen of the Month program started by a former teacher and still going strong; and from Allen, a Vassalboro resident, that people are friendly and respectful when they meet her off-duty, in the supermarket or at the transfer station.

Residents’ interest in their children’s school is obvious. Gram said this year’s 16 pre-kindergarten students had 127 family members and other guests signed up for their graduation ceremony. The annual eighth-grade graduation is held at the China Lake Conference Center, where attendees’ cars fill every parking space and line both sides of the road for half a mile, because VCS is too small to accommodate the crowd.

Dianna Gram, left, retires as principal of Vassalboro Community School this month.

Allen has been at VCS since 2008, starting as a third-grade teacher and moving to grades six, seven and eight. Meanwhile she earned a master’s degree from New England College, a doctorate in educational leadership and management from Capella University and has almost earned her principal’s certificate – she will take two more courses this summer to move from provisional to full certification.

Gram has been at the school 24 years, as special education director, assistant principal and principal. She leaves behind two specific items, in addition to the school’s reputation and the pre-kindergarten program she initiated.

One is the pink flamingo in the front garden. Gram’s “thing” is flamingos; so the 2017-18 school yearbook has flamingos from cover to cover, and many of the gifts filling her office are flamingo-themed. A special gift is a bag autographed by every student, presented at an assembly June 13 that was a total surprise; Gram still shakes her head in amazement as she realizes that everyone gathered in the auditorium while she was unsuspecting in her office.

The other souvenir is Gram’s grandmother’s wooden kitchen table, under a tablecloth in front of her desk, where she has resolved innumerable problems “sitting around the kitchen table.” Asked if she was taking it with her, she said “No, it’s staying for Megan.”

Ashley Carver graduates from Becker College

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Becker College’s Commence­ment ceremony was held on May 5, in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Ashley Carver, of Sidney, graduated with honors with an associates degree in veterinary science.

Winslow resident makes dean’s list at Tufts University

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Cody Lambert, of Winslow, was recognized for earning a spot on the Spring 2018 dean’s list at Tufts University, in Medford/­Som­er­ville, Massachusetts.

IF WALLS COULD TALK: Whew! Am I glad that fishing trip is over

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Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

Whew, WALLS, thank goodness, the annual fishing trip is over. Nope, WALLS, I didn’t want any, but I am sure the boys (including Lew) had their fill of trout at Camp Wapiti, in Patton, (Aroostook County), even though they left on Sunday and returned on Wednesday. They had arranged their flights from Washington State so that they had time visiting family.

Camp Wapiti? Well, the new owners had done the camps over and….and….it is on one of the few lakes that allow fishing with worms! It is true that the Lodge at Lake Parlin was wonderful, but Lew really wanted to fish with worms this year. The fish? Trout, really all sizes from one pound to three pounds! Grandson Matt prepared some wonderful stuffed baked trout on the grill, we were told.

Who went with Lew? Well, Mac McDormond, from Turner, a wonderful friend of the family; sons Nick and Dean, and grandson Matt. All the women divided their time between the David Loubier family at their camp, in Winslow, and me at Lake Wesserunsett. I hadn’t seen Olive and Frances and their mom, Heather, since the children were babies and they were very busy coloring pictures for us to enjoy until more memories are created when they return. Yes, these room are sure quiet since everyone had gone back to Washington State.

One of the memories for Donna was the knitted stockings on the moose next to Gifford’s Ice Cream, as one starts up the East Madison Road. Now, Katrina, were those stockings made especially for the moose so that the moose will attract attention on Skowhegan’s big weekend that was held at Skowhegan Fairgrounds.