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Velma Ellen Howard
October 03, 2010
West Kennebunk
Velma Ellen Howard, 83 years, of Thompson Road, West Kennebunk passed away Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 at the Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Velma was born July 27, 1927 in Kennebunk, the oldest child and only daughter of the late Casper G. and Alyce G. (Jackson) Pierce.
She grew up in West Kennebunk and attended Kennebunk schools.
One of Velma’s fond memories, growing up, was spending every weekend with her Nanny Pierce, whom she loved dearly.
Velma worked in the Kennebunk area all her life.
She was a waitress at “Jones’s Diner” in Kennebunk and the “Log Cabin Diner” in Arundel, she also worked at the former Kesslen Shoe Factory and retired from the Kennebunk Nursing Facility, where she worked over 20yrs.
On May 29, 1948, Velma married Everett T. Howard.
They were together for almost 60 years.
Everett passed away in 2005, just 11 days before their 57th wedding anniversary.
They lived in West Kennebunk all of their married life, building the two homes, together, that they lived in and raising their family.
They both enjoyed the outdoors and they loved to go camping, which they started in 1965 and continued for almost 40 years.
They went from sleeping in the back of their station wagon, to tenting, to a seasonal camper in NH that they went to almost every weekend.
They would bring their grandchildren camping every summer for weekends or week long visits.
Their last camping trip was in 2003, with their daughter, Lesley and son-in-law, Raymond, still sleeping in a tent.
Everett and Velma also loved their “Sunday” drives, which would be any day of the week, driving along the ocean or to the mountains or to visit a friend or family for an hour or two, always stopping for a bite to eat, at a favorite restaurant, on their way home.
In her younger years, Velma had beautiful flower gardens, growing all varieties of flowers.
She loved being outside and tending them.
Velma was also an avid reader, loved biographies/autobiographies, and books about ghosts and aliens.
She also loved music.
Velma played both piano and guitar and loved to dance, having recently danced with her daughter at her daughter’s annual summer party in July, doing the “jitterbug”.
When Velma and her best friend, Shirley, were teenagers they made a record of “Sentimental Journey” at OOB.
Velma was also a very generous and giving person, always there to help out family and friends. She was a wonderful cook.
Everyone has special memories of a favorite food that she would make for them.
For many years she was the hostess for all holiday celebrations, preparing all of the food and making everyone’s favorite pies and desserts.
Velma and her husband also opened their home to all their grandchildren for their birthday parties and attended every function that their grandchildren were in from dance recitals to plays to sporting events to HS and College graduations.
All of her grandchildren remember fondly Trick or Treating at Gram and Grampa’s house, as Gram fixed each one a special bag [a brown lunch bag with their name on it] filled with treats.
Besides her parents and husband, Velma was predeceased by a brother, Gordon “Buddy” Pierce and a granddaughter, Heather Searles.
Velma leaves behind her loving family, who will miss her dearly, which include her children; Cheryl and Mark Laprel of Arundel, Lesley and Raymond Brown of West Kennebunk and Ricky and Melissa Howard of Gilmanton, NH.
Nine grandchildren, Timothy and Matthew Searles, Lesley, and her husband Jared, Rist, Holly, Heidi, Benjamin, and his wife Jane, Brown, Ricky II, Brendan and Jacob Howard.
Seven great-grandchildren, Matthew Hanson, Darrin Goodwin, Timothy and Kendrick Holbrook, Parker and Gaige Rist and Mazie Emma-Joyce Anderson; her brother William Pierce and many niece’s, nephew’s and cousin’s.
Per Velma’s wishes there will be no services.
Interment will be in the Howard Family Private Cemetery, West Kennebunk.
If friends desire, donations an be made to the American Lung Association of Maine, 122 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330.
Virginia Parker Lewis
April 11, 2010
Kennebunkport, Maine
Virginia Parker Lewis of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Venice, Florida, died at the Seal Rock Nursing Facility in Saco, Maine, on 11 April 2010.
Mrs. Lewis was born on 11 May 1910 in Lewiston, Maine, the daughter of Florence and Everett Parker.
Her father was president of the textile machinery manufacturing firm, Parker Spool and Bobbin Company.
Upon graduating from Jordan High School in Lewiston, she entered Skidmore College receiving her BA degree in 1933.
She specialized in Childhood Education and briefly taught at the Merrill Palmer School of Child Development in Detroit.
During and after graduate studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, Mrs. Lewis taught at the Dalton School and The Lincoln School in New York City.
Later, she taught at the Brooks School in Concord, MA.
She performed many volunteer activities during her long time residence in Scarsdale, New York.
Together with her husband, Frederick H. Lewis, she was co-director of the Vistamont Camps on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire.
Mrs. Lewis is survived by her son and daughter-in-law of Alton, New Hampshire, two grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Graveside services are planned for Tuesday, July 20 at 3 pm in Arundel cemetery in Kennebunkport.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, US Route One, #1, Scarborough, ME 04074 or www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME.
Virginia Parker Lewis
July 2010
Kennebunkport
Virginia Parker Lewis,99 years, of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Venice, Florida, died at the Seal Rock Nursing Facility in Saco, Maine, on 11 April 2010.
Mrs. Lewis was born on 11 May 1910 in Lewiston, Maine, the daughter of Florence and Everett Parker.
Her father was president of the textile machinery manufacturing firm, Parker Spool and Bobbin Company.
Upon graduating from Jordan High School in Lewiston, she entered Skidmore College receiving her BA degree in 1933.
She specialized in Childhood Education and briefly taught at the Merrill Palmer School of Child Development in Detroit.
During and after graduate studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, Mrs. Lewis taught at the Dalton School and The Lincoln School in New York City.
Later, she taught at the Brooks School in Concord, MA.
She performed many volunteer activities during her long time residence in Scarsdale, New York.
Together with her husband, Frederick H. Lewis, she was co-director of the Vistamont Camps on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire.
Mrs. Lewis is survived by her son and daughter-in-law of Alton, New Hampshire, two grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Graveside services are planned for Tuesday, July 20 at 3pm at Arundel cemetery in Kennebunkport with Reverend Jack Mathison presiding.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, US Route One, #1, Scarborough, ME 04074 or www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org.
Wayne Gordon Hall
January 11, 2010
Berwick, ME
Wayne Gordon Hall, 89 years, of Little River Road, died on Monday, January 11, 2010 following a lengthy illness.
He was born in Pittsfield, ME on May 9, 1920, the son of Elmer C. and Eva C. (Cowan) Hall.
He was educated in Pittsfield, ME and Rochester, NH schools.
In the 1930’s, Wayne’s father taught him to be a spinner in the woolen mills.
He continued in this trade until World War II escalated.
From 1942 to 1945, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.
Following basic training, he shipped out to Tidworth England in 1943, and then on to Le Harbe, France with the 3rd Army under General George Patton.
He marched to Bonn, Germany through Belgium.
During the war, Wayne married Alice J. Sheldon.
Wayne was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. and the American Legion in Somersworth, NH.
When he returned from the war, after being taught by his father, Wayne worked as a movie projectionist.
He then became an electrician, and was employed by the Ralph Pill Electrical Company from 1954 to 1959 and 1963 to 1983, and eventually managed both the Dover, NH and Biddeford, ME stores.
From 1959 to 1963 he was employed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
He retired to Glendale, Arizona in 1983, and then to Clearwater, FL in 1997.
In 2007, he returned to Maine to reside with his son Richard in Berwick.
Wayne was an avid fisherman, especially enjoying deep sea fishing with friends and family in Maine as well as the Gulf of Mexico with his daughter, Sharon and son-in-law, Tom Cann.
He rode motorcycles until he was eighty with family and friends in the Retreads
motorcycle
Club, traveling locally as well as cross country, to the World’s Fair in St. Louis, MO and to his previous residence in Glendale, AZ.
He was predeceased by his wife, Alice Hall in 1974; a daughter, Audrey Brooks; his brother Leon Hall; and his sister Thelma Pray.
Survivors include two sons, Richard Hall and his wife Donna of Berwick, Wayne S. Hall and his wife Sharon of Myrtle Beach, SC; his daughter, Sharon K. Cann of Safety Harbor, FL; 6 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; and his life partner of the last 35 years, Gertrude Gilbert.
There are no calling hours.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Laing-Bibber Funeral Chapel, 36 Rochester Street, Berwick.
Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Berwick.
Arrangements are in care of Laing-Bibber Funeral Chapel.
Wilfrid G. 'Wimp' Messer
September 09, 2010
Kennebunk
Wilfrid G. "Wimp" Messer, 83 years, of Kennebunk passed away Thursday, September 9, 2010 at the Newton Center in Sanford.
He was born in 1926 in Broklyn, NY, the son of Henry and Mary (Goeckler) Messer.
Mr. Messer grew up in Baltimore, MD and graduated from Catonsville HS in Baltimore.
After high school he enlisted in the United States Army, where he served for over 2 years, during the end of WWII, until the death of his brother and was then sent home.
After the war, he worked at the telephone company as a telephone repairman for over 43 years until his retirement in 1989.
He moved from Maryland to Maine in 1969.
Wimp enjoyed gardening, walking, canoeing and was an avid football fan, with a passion for the fighting Irish
of Notre Dame.
He especially loved to spend time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was a long-time communicant of Holy Spirit Parish - St. Martha's Church, where he revitalized and served the food pantry there for more than 16 years.
He was a life-long blood donor.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by three brothers and one sister.
Wimp is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Elizabeth "Betty" (Gallagher) Messer of Kennebunk; 2 sons, Thomas "Tom" Messer of Louisville, KY and Fr. Terry Messer of New York City, NY; 3 daughters Christine Gingo and her husband Charles of Bennington, VT, Suzanne Gleichauf and her husband Paul of Ellicott City, MD and Mary Melissa del Mazo and her husband Martin of Atlanta, GA; 3 brothers Joseph Messer and Lambert Messer, both of MD, Gerard Messer of FL; 1 sister, Sr. Mary Aquinas of New York, NY; 14 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held Sunday, September 12 from 4-6 PM at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, September 13 at 11AM at Holy Spirit Parish - St. Martha's Church, 30 Portland Rd., Kennebunk.
Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Wimp's memory can be made to St. Martha's Food Pantry, c/o St. Martha's Church, 30 Portland Road, Kennebunk, ME 04043 or the Alzheimer's Association, 170 US Route One, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.
The family wishes to thank the staff at the Pavilion and the Newton Center at Goodall Hospital for their care and kindness to Wimp, his family and friends.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.
