Obituaries, Week of August 11, 2016

LINWOOD A. GROTTON

WINDSOR––SSgt. Linwood A. Grotton (Retired), born February 4, 1947, died at his home on Thursday, July 28, 2016, following a long illness.

Linwood “Woody” was a member of the United States Army for 21 years, serving during the times of Panama, Grenada and Vietnam and served one tour of duty in Korea. Linwood served four tours in Germany with his family and spent most of his military career in aviation and retired as a quality assurance/safety engineer and teacher for incoming aviation soldiers. He said upon discussing his time in the Army that he lived the longest camping trip of his life. Upon his retirement from the military he worked three years for Lockheed-Martin where he worked on aircraft across the country.

Linwood, with his wife Darlene, loved Munich, Germany, a favorite of theirs though they traveled extensively across both Europe and the United States with their daughters. Linwood was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman who loved taking his family camping. He was a protector, hero, and great father to his daughters and his marriage to Darlene was nothing less than adventurous. Through all life’s foibles and health concerns, Linwood lived each day to its fullest.

Linwood was a man who believed in family and shared this strong belief with his children and grandchildren. He loved history and learning about his ancestry. He was a man to be reckoned with, but a man whose heart far outweighed his gruff exterior. He was honest, honorable and real. He cared for those he loved with an unwavering loyalty.
He was predeceased by his mother, Alfreda (Young) Grotton and father, Leroy Henry Grotton; and brother Theodore Grotton.

Linwood is survived by his wife of 49 years, Darlene L. (Laukka) Grotton; five daughters, Tammy Anderson and husband, Erik, Lauri Alejandro, Heidi Grotton, Wendy Zwecker and husband Sam, and Billie Jean Niederowski and husband Mike; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister Naomi Wilson and fiancé Joe, of Warren; brother Gregory Grotton and wife Joyce, of Union; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Please make memorial donations to: The Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka KS 66675.

DONALD A. PEASLEE

WHITEFIELD––Donald A. Peaslee Jr., passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2016. Donald was born in Union on July 25, 1944.
In the summer of 1959 he met Barbara Jean Hall at a Knights of Columbus Hall dance. September 7, 1963, Donald and Barbara were married, lived in Whitefield and raised three children.

He is survived by his wife Barbara; daughter Tammy Peaslee, two sons, Scott Peaslee and wife Paula, Steve Peaslee and wife Bobbi-Jo; sister Vivian Gale; 16 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; three nieces and two nephews.

REGINALD W. GRENIER SR.

ALBION – Reginald W. Grenier Sr., 77, passed away Monday, August 1, 2016, at Maine General Medical Center, in Augusta. He was born June 1, 1939, in Waterville, the son of Leo Edmond and Lucille Grace (Gullifer) Grenier.

He was educated in the schools of Waterville and graduated from Waterville Senior High School in 1957, then continued his education at MVTI, graduating in 1960 earning an A.S. in electronics. On July 25, 1959, he married Pauline McCoy at Sacred Heart Church, in Waterville. He was a self-employed businessman for 22 years and owned and operated Grenier’s TV Repair. He enjoyed NASCAR racing, photography, was a watch collector, and loved to travel, and especially enjoyed riding trains and collected model trains as a hobby.

Reginald is survived by his wife of 57 years, Pauline (McCoy) Grenier, of Albion; daughter, Robbin Henderson and husband Franklin, of South Berwick; three sons, Reginald Grenier, Jr and wife Wanda, of Waterville, Stephen Grenier and wife Brandi, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Michael Grenier, of Fairfield; brother, Eddie Grenier, of Winslow; sister, Diane Grenier, of Winslow; 13 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to American Diabetes Association, Attn: Memorials, PO Box 2680, North Canton, Ohio 44720.
Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan, Maine 04976.

AUDREY I. TYLER

WINSLOW––Audrey I. (Witham) Tyler, passed away following a long battle with cardiac disease, on Thursday, August 4, 2016. Audrey was born on February 13, 1924, in Benton, to Elmer and Eliza (Shores) Witham.

She was the wife of Ervin H. Tyler and they shared 75 years together. Audrey lived in Freedom, and has resided in Winslow since 2002.
Audrey was a gentle, loving woman who always had a smile, and her twinkling brown eyes danced with excitement as she greeted everyone who touched her life.

As a child Audrey loved to slide, play in the brook building rafts, going to the movies with her father and cooking with her mother. She also enjoyed going to the coast with the family and going to local fairs. She loved sliding with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as playing basketball and cross country skiing, with she learned at age 70. In her later years, she enjoyed doing word search puzzles, playing beano, going for rides and meeting friends.

Audrey was a member of the Benton Falls Congregational Church, was a member of the Ladies Aide and cooked and worked on church suppers for years. She was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and was so excited to see them win the World Series three times. She attended the University of Maine’s women’s basketball games for years, even at the age of 85.

Audrey worked at the Winslow Poultry Plant for 29 years. She went there the day it opened and left the day it closed. She was a union representative and was well like and respected. She worked at the Mid_Maine Medical Center in the housekeeping department for 11 years and wa loved by staff and patients alike. She was made an honorary substance abuse counselor in recognition of the distinguished service, loving care and listening ear she gave to patients. They couldn’t say enough about the positive influence she was in their lives. Audrey was identified on several occasions as being an outstanding employee who committed a great deal to Mid-Maine’s caring environment. She was cited five times for giving extra care and kindness. Everyone who knew her loved her because they realized how much she cared for them.

Audrey took the initiative to do things on her own without being told, she was a very perceptive person, no wonder so many people looked up to her. One of her evaluators wrote, “she is very co-operative and understanding in all areas. She worked on detox, sixth hall. It isn’t an easy floor to work on, it takes a special understanding person to handle sixth hall and she is surely that type of person, a very polite, understanding and easy going person.”

Audrey was predeceased by her parents, Elmer (Joe) and Eliza Witham; her daughter, Nancy Tyler McCutcheon; sisters, Barbara Martin, Pauline Bessey; brother Irving Witham; sister-in-law, Maxine Gurney and husband Edmond; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband of 75 years, Ervin H. Tyler; she leaves one daughter, Bonnie R. Tyler; grandsons, Mark McCutcheon and wife Laurie, and Michael McCutcheon and wife Deanna; three great-grandchildren, Justin McCutcheon and wife, Sara, Kristi Francey and husband, Dana, and Ian McCutcheon; one great-great-grandchild, Madeline Francey; a son-in-law, Harold McCutcheon and friend, Sharon Lamb; niece and her family, Pamela Wallace and husband, Bob, Liza Wallace and Devon Wallace; nephews, Lawrence Lee and wife, Doreen, Dennis Witham and wife, Laura; and friend Alice Alexander.

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

Memorial contributions may be made to: The Benton Falls Congregational Church, c/o Dawnella Sheehan, 274 Bellsqueeze Road, Benton ME 04901.

OTHERS DEPARTED

JOSEPH M. LACHANCE, 84, of Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at The Pavilion of Brightmore, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Locally, he is survived by a brother, Florian (Babe) Lachance, of Winslow.

DAVID L. GRUHN, 56, of Bristol, Connecticut, passed away on Friday, July 22, 2016, from complications of pneumonia. Locally, he is survived by siblings, Mary Bixby and husband Joseph, of Oakland, Frank Gruhn, of Fairfield, Robert Westman and wife Bobbi-Jo, of Oakland, and Patricia Hagerty and husband Patrick, of Clinton; nephew Christopher Gruhn, of Fairfield, neice Emily Hagerty, of Clinton, and step-nephews, Dorian and Zachary French, of Fairfield.

SHIRLEY J. O’NEAL CARON, 58, of Orange Park, Florida, passed away on Friday, July 22, 2016, following a long battle with cancer. Locally, she is survived by her father Wayman O’Neal and stepmother Lena, of Benton; siblings, Jerry O’Neal, of Benton, Betsy Lindell and son Ryan, of Waterville, Linda Hebert and companion Allen, of Fairfield.

DAVID L. HARRIS, 82, of Waterville, passed away on Wednesday, August 3, 2016. Locally, he is survived by his wife Doris, of Waterville. daughters Deanna Bennett and partner Pete Tait, of Winslow, Dawn Starkey and husband George, of Benton, and Donna Sevey and husband James, of Waterville.

JOAN GIFFORD, 75, of Waterville, passed away on Friday, August 5, 2016, at her residence. Locally, she is survived by a brother, Ronney Perreault and wife Rose, of Waterville.