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2005-09-23
Ann Clark Distant, former G-NGHS teacher
Ann Clark Distant, 67, died after a brief fight against cancer, on September 5 at her home in Limington, surrounded by family.
Born in Plymouth, MA, she was the only child of Irving "Bud" Clark and Louise Howland Clark. The family moved to Orrington, ME, in 1951, where she competed in horse shows and won many awards. She graduated from Brewer High School in 1956 and attained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine to teach physical education.
Her teaching career began at Gorham High School; she retired from Gray-New Gloucester High School after 25 years of service. Her students lovingly knew her as "Mrs. D".
Ann was an avid gardener who was known for her excellent pickles. She loved to garden, travel, read, ski and entertain with family and friends. Her optimism, kindness, thoughtfulness and loyalty will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her father, Irving Clark, and stepmother Janet Clark, of St. Cloud, FL; her husband, David E. Distant, of Limington; their only child, Karin Distant Sullivan; and grandson Ryan Distant Sullivan, of Gray.
Services were private. Arrangements were under the care of Independent Death Care of Maine.
2005-03-25
Anna Dew dies
Anna Sorensen Truax Dew, of Gray, died on March 16 at her home with her family by her side after a brief battle with cancer.
Anna was born in Portland, the daughter of Carl and Emily Sorensen. She attended Portland schools and Deering High School.
She married A.J. Truax on July 4, 1944, and worked at Fostee Avery on Congress Street.
After working at the South Portland Shipyard during World War II in the east yard, Anna and her family moved to Connecticut where she worked for several years in the ball-bearing business.
She married F. J. Dew in 1966 and they moved back to Maine in 1971 and settled in Gray, where Anna worked for MSAD #15 as a bread baker for three schools. Finishing her working career at Pineland in New Gloucester, she retired in 1986.
Anna is survived by her husband, Francis; two children, Karren O'Meara, of Jensen Beach, Florida, and Joe Truax, of Gray; three granddaughters, a great-grandson and four great-granddaughters; a sister in North Carolina; along with several relatives in the local area.
A graveside service will be held at a later date at Village Cemetery
in Gray.
2005-08-12
Anne F. Whitney Herrick
Anne F. Whitney Herrick, 69, of Pownal, died in Pownal on August 4, 2005, after a tough battle with Multiple Myeloma. She was born May 6, 1936, in Windham, the daughter of Harland and Christine (MacDonald) Whitney. She grew up in Gray, attended local schools and graduated from Pennell Institute.
In the 1950s, she lived in Washington, D.C., where she was employed by the Veteran's Administration. She later accepted a position with the National Council of YMCAs in the Railroad Division. Her office was located in the old Union Station in Washington, D.C., and overlooked the Concourse. She loved the "hustle and bustle" of the trains
and enjoyed talking about the interesting people she met and how different life was at that time.
Later she moved to Ashland, Ohio, where she worked in several capacities while raising a family. In Ashland, she was also an active volunteer in town, church and school activities and was a member of the First Methodist Church of Ashland. She was also a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. After returning to Maine, Anne was employed by Thomas P. Beals Furniture, supervising the Country Store. During this time, she obtained her Real Estate license and sold real estate until she went to work for L. L. Bean as Facilities Coordinator. She remained in this capacity until retirement. In retirement, she worked for DeLorme Mapping and for the Basketbarn of Vermont. In 1987, Anne married Martin R. Herrick, of Peaks Island. They enjoyed many loving and happy years together. They became involved in genealogy and traced their ancestors back many generations. She was reasonably well traveled and, especially, enjoyed her trips to Nova Scotia and Scotland. Her great-great-grandparents were among the original settlers of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. In Scotland, she was thrilled to walk the streets in Edinborough as her great,-great-grandfather had before her.
Anne enjoyed raising flowers and spent many hours in her flowerbeds until her illness forced her to stop. She was a great cook and enjoyed making her husband his favorite pies as well as baking all sorts of other wonderful pastries and breads.
Her greatest enjoyment was her family. She loved family gatherings and spending time with her children and grandchildren, whom she loved dearly. She was always a "big tease" and loved playing tricks on her grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and could usually find a "funny side" to things.
She attended the Pownal Congregational Church and was a member of the AARP. Anne was predeceased by three daughters, Linda, Cynthia and Kathy Cordell; her parents; and two brothers, Warren and Ralph Whitney. She is survived by her loving husband, Martin Herrick of Pownal; two daughters, Cheryl Croxford and her husband, Curt, of Pittston; Carolyn Pollard and her husband Jeff of Raymond; two granddaughters, Jessica Hinds and her husband, Joshua, of Gardiner and Christina Pollard of Raymond; two grandsons, Jason Croxford of Pittston and Jeffrey Pollard, Jr., of Raymond; great-grandchildren Gregory and Brianna Hinds of Gardiner; one brother, Wilbert Whitney and his wife, Janet, of Augusta; two sisters-in-law, Adeline Whitney of Gray and Paula Whitney of Fitchburg, MA; her mother-in-law, Eileen Herrick, of Machiasport; a brother-in-law, Mark Herrick and his wife, Debra, of West Paris; several aunts and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Contributions may be made to the First Parish Congregational Church, 461 Elmwood Road, Pownal, ME 04069, c/o Edna Menchen.
2000-11-17
Anthony Cook
Anthony (Tony) J. Cook, Sr., who served the Town of Gray in a variety of capacities, died last Friday at his home.
He was the son of Marco and Cecelia Rossi Cooca; he changed his name many years later. Born in Rumford, he worked for Oxford Paper Company and, later, for the New England Shipbuilding Corporation in South Portland.
Tony loved sports as a young man, and was a professional boxer. He left the ring when he married Maude Jones on Valentine's Day in 1947.
Tony enlisted in the Maine Army National Guard, and attained the ranks of first sergeant and chief warrant officer. He retired in June, 1977.
He worked for the city of Portland as a business license inspector, retiring in 1980 but continuing to assist in elections until 1996. He also worked as a substitute teacher in Gray-New Gloucester public schools.
Throughout his adult life, Tony Cook gave prodigiously of his time and talents to Gray. He served on the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and for many years on the Gray Town Council. He was elected to the Charter Review Commission last year, and saw the new Charter he helped create approved by Town voters. It was his last victory at the polls.
A baseball and football coach and official for years, he turned to golf more recently. Eventually, he managed to combine his two great loves-his wife, Maude, and the game of golf-by convincing Maude to take up the game, at the age of 66.
He is survived by Maude, his wife of 53 years, in Gray; a son, Anthony, Jr., of Criehaven Island; a daughter, Joan Laine, of Danville, Indiana; two brothers, Angelo Cooca, of Rumford, and Michael Cooca, of Florida; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and the Town of Gray, which owes him deep thanks for his dedication.
A funeral service was held at Bible Believing Baptist Church, with Pastor Darwin Vail officiating; burial will be in Brooklawn Memorial Park.
Arrangements were by Wilson Funeral Home.
1999-10-22
Amelia "Mickey" Whitten, 71
Amelia Stella "Mickey" Whitten, 71, of Shaker Road, died Monday at her home.
Mrs. Whitten was born in Portland, a daughter of Boleslaw and Ann Knapp Tatarcyk, of Poland. She married Winston Blair Whitten in 1948, and had her vows blessed in the Catholic Church in 1963. She was a communicant of St. John the Evangelist Church in South Portland.
She had worked for Valle's Steak House for 10 years, and retired from Fairchild Semiconductor after 22 years of service.
Mrs. Whitten was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Women's Auxiliary in South Portrland, and celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary there last year.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, of Gray; three daughters, Connie Luedke, of Lakeland, FL, Donna Young, of Kennebunk, and Vivian Whitten, of Gray; two brothers, John, of South Portland, and Joseph Tatarcyk, of Marysville, CA; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A daughter, Diana, died in 1959.
A funeral Mass was held at St. John the Evangelist Church, with burial in Calvary Cemetery.
1999-09-03
Alice Ann Mallett Schwerdtfeger
Alice Ann Mallett Schwerdtfeger, 84, of New Gloucester, died Friday at Clover Manor, Auburn, where she had lived for the past 14 months. She was born in Bath, a daughter of Charlotte and John Mallett, and attended school in Quincy, Mass., and Bath, graduating from Morse High School.
In 1936 she married August R. Schwerdtfeger. He died in 1980.
Mr. and Mrs. Schwerdtfeger lived in Bath, Hyde Park, MA, and South Portland before moving to New Gloucester in 1945.
Together they handcrafted miniature furniture, which is now known throughout the country.
Mrs. Schwerdtfeger was a member of the New Gloucester Congregational Church. She also was a member of the Ladies Circle, the Historical Society, the Poland Spring Preservation Society and the Senior Citizens.
Surviving are her daughter, Mrs. Bruce D. (Viola) Macomber of New Gloucester; four grandchildren, Deana L. and Karen A., both of Auburn, and Bruce Jr. and John, both of New Gloucester; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at 2 P.M. Sunday at the New Gloucester Congregational Church. Memorial donations may be made to New Gloucester Rescue, P.O. Box 82, New Gloucester, Maine 04260.
2000-02-18
Alec Cates
Little Alec Cates, grandson of Ronald and Lorette Maillet, of Gray, passed away after a long illness on February 13. He was just four months away from his second birthday.
Alec developed Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia, a rare form of cancer. His parents, Cash and Nichole Cates, began a campaign to find a bone marrow transplant for him. But despite their best efforts, no match could be found.
Hundreds of people were tested, and hundreds more in Gray and other towns donated money to the Alec Cates Fund at Saco & Biddeford Savings Bank. The Gray-New Gloucester High School Class of 1999 gave a donation as a class gift.
Alec is survived by his parents, of Dayton; brother Cameron and sister Cassidy, of Wells; his paternal grandparents, Malcolm and Jane Rollins, of Port St. Lucie, Florida; great-grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins; besides the Maillets, his maternal grandparents.
The funeral was Thursday, February 17, at Hope Memorial Chapel.
Alec's parents intend to continue their fight to raise awareness for bone marrow drives.
