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William B. Davies
YORK BEACH - William Barrett "Bill" Davies died on Wednesday morning, March 9, 2005, in the care of his friend Donna Lombardo following a brief illness. He was 51.
Bill was born on Sept. 23, 1953, one of twin sons to Virginia Barrett Davies and William Henry Davies. Bill graduated from Sanford High School, then attended the University of Maine at Orono.
He worked in the hospitality industry in York Beach for many years, in addition to touring with a rock ‘n’ roll band as a lighting designer. He was also a guitarist, songwriter and an accomplished entertainer.
He later worked as a landscaper and handyman for the Union Bluff Hotel in York Beach and served as general manager and projectionist for the York Beach Cinema, a job he adored. It was his duty to maintain and operate the fussy, arcane, 80-year-old movie projectors that were purchased when the York Beach Cinema opened in 1928.
During his weeklong stay at York Hospital before his passing, he had more than 100 visitors - a testament to his fine standing in the town he loved so well.
He is survived by his mother, Virginia; his twin brother, Thom; his older brother and sister, Dick and Janice; a sister, Jen Fulmer; and hundreds of people who knew and loved him as the unofficial mayor of York Beach, Maine.
He loved the sunshine, and he loved the surf, and both were in ample supply on the morning of his death this past Wednesday.
Sarah Edwards Morgan Charlesworth
KITTERY POINT - Sarah Edwards Morgan Charlesworth, 86, widow of Roger Charlesworth of Kittery Point, died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, March 17, 2005.
She is survived by her four children, Sarah Charlesworth of New York City, Agnes Charlesworth of Kittery Point, Rosemary Charlesworth of New York City and Roger Charlesworth Jr. of New York City. All are also part-time residents of Kittery Point.
There will be a memorial gathering in the late spring.
Robert A. Phinney Sr.
Seabrook, N.H. - Robert A. Phinney Sr., 65, of 24 Batchelder Road, died Saturday, March 19, 2005, at Exeter Hospital after a long illness.
He was born in Freeport, Maine, on July 14, 1939, the son of Ernest H. and Bertha (Gordon) Phinney. He spent his childhood in York and was a 1957 graduate of York High School.
Bob had worked in retail management for most of his life. He began his career in 1957 at W.T. Grant Department Store in Portsmouth, and later worked at the Gilford, N.H., store until it closed in 1976. He also worked at J.J. Newberry, Grossman Lumber, Gerrity Lumber and Mr. Goodbuys in New Jersey. Bob started the York Street Bait & Tackle Shop in 1991. Most recently, he was a manager of Cambridge Self-Storage in Cambridge, Mass.
Bob had lived in Laconia for 20 years before returning to the Seacoast. He enjoyed playing golf, was an avid reader and liked completing crossword and jigsaw puzzles. He was a former member of the Gilford, N.H., Jaycees.
Survivors include his wife, Loyola Ann (Cockerille) Phinney of Seabrook; one son, Robert A. Phinney Jr. of Seabrook; two stepsons, John Fitzgerald of Las Vegas and James Fitzgerald of Laconia; three daughters, Robin Reade of Alton, Dawn Marie DiPietro of Guilford and Christina Durestant of Haverhill, Mass.; a stepdaughter, Vickie L. Fowler of Exeter; a sister, Patricia Foster of York; his former wife, Ann M. Phinney of Laconia; and 11 grandchildren and two nieces.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, at the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, at 91 Long Sands Road in York. Visiting hours will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. before the funeral. A reception will follow the funeral in St. Aspinquid Masonic Hall. Burial will be in Central Cemetery, in Rye, N.H. Family requests that memorial donations be made to Seacoast Dialysis, 195 Commerce Way, in Portsmouth, N.H., 03801.
Leslie J. Rix
EXETER, N.H. - Leslie J. Rix, 62, of Tilton Avenue in Exeter, N.H., died on Friday, March 18, 2005, at Exeter Hospital.
Born in Salem, Mass., on Nov. 13, 1942, she was a daughter of Edmond and Louise (Poor) Rix. She attended schools in York, Maine, and graduated from York High School.
She met and married her loving husband, Paul Rix, and together they resided in Florida for several years. They recently returned to New England and bought a home in Exeter to be closer to their grandchildren.
Leslie worked at MBNA in Dover, N.H., where she made a number of close friends. She dedicated her life to the Lord and passed her faith along to her family. Her smile will be something that will never be forgotten. She will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her husband, Paul Rix of Exeter; their sons, Barton Rix of Florida and Brian and his wife, Olivia Rix, of Exeter; three daughters, Kim and her husband,Peter Rix-Diodotti, of Exeter, Cynthia Rix of Exeter, and Brenda Rix of Exeter; a brother, Peter Fahey; two sisters, Meg Fahey and Sonny Broberg of Florida; and her beloved grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private at the family’s request. Arrangements are entrusted to the J.S. Pelkey Funeral Home of Kittery.
Ann E. (Poirier) Costello
CAPE NEDDICK - Ann E. (Poirier) Costello, 55, devoted wife, mother and grandmother, died Tuesday, March 22, 2005, at her home in Cape Neddick.
Born June 29, 1949, in West Bridgewater, Mass., she was the daughter of Joseph and Doris (Owens) Poirier. She graduated from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass., and went on to study at Framingham State and Holyoke Community College. She enjoyed poetry, film, antiques and visiting the ocean. She spent her professional years as a restaurant manager.
She leaves behind her husband, Jeffrey; her daughters, Aubrey L. Costello, of Brattleboro, Vt., and Christina L. Costello, of Cape Neddick; her sons, Brent Costello, of Cape Neddick and Richard Plante, of Palmer, Mass.; her stepdaughters, Jodie Griffith, of East Longmeadow, Mass., and Jennifer Spindler, of West Springfield, Mass.; her stepson, Jeffrey Costello Jr., of West Springfield, Mass.; her grandchildren, Monika, Noah, Jensen, Reilly, Jacklyn, Brianna, Alyssa, Jake and Jordan; her sisters, Marie Poirier and Claire Horne; and her brothers, Paul, David, John, Ronald, Richard, Edward and Joseph Poirier.
She was predeceased by her mother and father, as well as by her brother, Robert Poirier, and her sister, Jean Poirier.
Services were held on Friday, March 25, at Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, at 91 Long Sands Road, York, Maine. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to York Community Service Association, Attn: Marla, PO Box 85, Cape Neddick, Maine, 03902.
Irene Gnecco
YORK - Irene Gnecco, 93, of York, formerly of Framingham, Mass., died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family. She was the widow of Charles Gnecco, who died in 1987.
Born in Beverly, Mass., she was one of 10 children of Emma Benigni and Carlos Palanzi. She was educated in Milford, Mass., and lived in Framingham most of her adult life.
She worked for many years in the Framingham Union Hospital special care nursery. She and her late husband also managed the Winthrop Apartments in Framingham, Mass.
In 1996, she moved to York to live with her daughter, Eileen Hicks, a resident here for 20 years. For the past three or so years, Irene was a resident of York Harbor Home as her Parkinson’s progressed.
She was given kind, caring treatment by her Harbor Home family. She enjoyed her view from her picture window and the bird feeder, which gave her much pleasure. She especially enjoyed the musical activities. Holiday dinners there were shared with family at her favorite table near the aquarium.
Irene is survived by two sisters, Mary Piccioli of Oregon and Elsie Chesmore of Oklahoma, and a sister-in-law, Midge Gnecco Voner of Natick, Mass. She leaves multitudes of nieces and nephews of her eight deceased brothers and sisters.
She leaves one son, Joseph Tucci and his wife, of Framingham, Mass.; her daughter, Eileen Hicks of York; and Russ Earley and his family. Irene had 14 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. She is the mother of the late Florence Santos who died in 1988.
A memorial service was held for her large extended family and friends at St. Mary’s Church in Milford, Mass., on March 10, 2005. She will join her late husband, Charles, in the Gnecco family plot in St. Patrick’s cemetery in Natick, Mass., later in the spring.
Adelaide Tonnet Olsen
BIDDEFORD - Adelaide Tonnet Olsen, 88, of Biddeford, Maine, formerly of Burlington, Mass., died Sunday, March 27, 2005, in Biddeford.
Adelaide was born on Nov. 1, 1916, in Everett, Mass., a daughter of Hartman and Agnes (Vagelid) Hansen.
She was a loving, generous person who always put others before herself. After she worked as a boss at Ford motor company, she devoted her life to her husband, raising their four daughters and helping out with 12 grandchildren. She has passed on to her children and grandchildren a strong Christian faith, love of life and the act of caring for others.
Adelaide enjoyed visiting family and friends, driving and playing bingo. She was born on All Saints Day and went to be with the Lord on Easter Sunday. Her daughters want to thank all of the many people who helped to care for her over the last three years: her sons-in-law and grandchildren, staff at St. Andre’s Health Care Facility, Compass Care Friends, and her home health aides, Hannah Rothermel, Sis Leifheit and Sheryl Damron.
Adelaide was married to Thomas H. Olsen, who died in 1984.
She is survived by four daughters, Joy Hayes and her husband, Gary, of Gray, Jane Stevens of Shapleigh, Jill Larson and her husband, William, of York, and June Connors and her husband, James, of Upton, Mass., and 12 grandchildren.
A funeral will be held Wednesday, March 30 at 11 a.m. in the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, at 22 Fox Run Road in Newington, N.H. An hour of visitation will be held at 10 a.m. before the funeral. Interment will be at the Pine Ridge cemetery in Chelmsford, Mass., at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. Donations in Adelaide’s memory may be made to either the Saint Andre’s Health Care, 407 Pool Road, Biddeford, Maine, 04005 or to Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 28 Paris St., East Boston, Mass., 02128. Arrangements by the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, in York, Maine.
David T. Perretti
MALDEN, MASS. - David T. Perretti, 40, died unexpectedly at his Malden, Mass., home on Saturday, March 26, 2005.
David was born in Everett, Mass., and lived there most of his life before moving to Malden seven years ago. At the time of his death, he was working for Bank of America as a mailing machine operator. He was an alumnus of Everett High School, Class of 1982. He coached football for the Everett High team, the Everett Huskies, for several years. Previously, he worked for the Costco Wholesale Corp, in its food division.
He leaves his parents, Carl D. and Donna M. (Sledzinski) of Everett; his brothers, Derek C. Perretti and his wife, Brenda, of Cape Neddick, and Dale T. Perretti of Revere, Mass.; a niece, Rory D. Perretti of Cape Neddick; his paternal aunt, Dorothy Hearn and her husband, Donald of West Palm Beach, Fla; and his many grand-aunts and grand-uncles.
Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service on Friday, April 1 at 10 a.m., in the Vertuccio home for funerals of Revere, Mass. Visiting hours are in the funeral home on Thursday, March 31 from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetary, in Everett, Mass. Remembrances may be made to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Greater Boston, 295 Devonshire St., Boston, MA 02110.
Clarence E. Estes
YORK - Clarence E. "Pete" Estes, 75, of 158 Beech Ridge Road, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 30, 2005, at York Hospital.
He was born in York on July 23, 1929, the son of Edgar L. and Anna (Adams) Estes. Mr. Estes returned to school later in life and obtained his general equivalency diploma in 1973 at Marshwood High School.
Mr. Estes had owned and operated Estes Oil Burner Service for 35 years. He also enjoyed lobstering and operated his boat, Becky Sue, for many years.
He had served as a town of York selectman from 1980 to 1982. He enjoyed gardening and landscaping his property and loved storytelling with his family and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife, Joan B. (Hollings) Estes who died in 1994 and by a son, Peter E. Estes, who died in 1991. He was also predeceased by two sisters, June Huntress, who died in 1984 and Agnes Littlefield, who died in 1994.
Survivors include a son, Michael L. Estes and his wife, Terry, of York; two daughters, Dale Johnson and her husband, Erich, of Rochester and Susan Estes of Kittery; a daughter-in-law, Sandra Estes of York; one sister, Jane Mulligan of Lebanon, Maine; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral was held Sunday in the First Parish Congregational Church of York, 180 York St., in York. Memorial donations may be made to the York Athletic Fields Committee, in memory of Clarence Estes, for Little League, 186 York St., York, Maine, 03909. Arrangements by the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home.
Jean M. French
STONEHAM, Mass. - Jean M. (Gordon) French, 87, of Stoneham, Mass., formerly of Raydon Road Extension in York, and Watertown, Mass., died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, at the Life Care Center of Stoneham, Mass.
She was the beloved wife of the late Richard G. French.
Jean was born in Watertown, Mass., on Aug. 20, l9l7, the daughter of Arthur A. and Vera (Nason) Gordon. A graduate of Watertown High School and Fisher Business School, she served her country in World War II as a WAVE in the U.S. Navy.
After retiring from Raytheon Co., she moved to York where she was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church and the York Golf and Tennis Club. She also volunteered at York Hospital and YCSA Thrift Shop.
Jean was the devoted mother of Marjorie J. Koles and her husband, Anthony of Melrose, Mass., and John R. French and his wife, Linda, of Landis, N.C. She was the loving grandmother of Scott and Jeanne Koles of Stoneham, Mass., Suzanne (Koles) and Jason Reid of Melrose, Mass., Michelle (French) and Rob Harton of Charlotte, N.C., and Michael French of Landis, N.C. She was the sister of Phyllis Layton, Phillips Gordon, Joyce Emanuelson, John Gordon and Robert Gordon.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 9 in St. George’s Episcopal Church, on York Street in York Harbor.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean’s memory may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Center, Boston, Mass., 02215 or a charity of your choice.
Bernard C. Ramsdell
YORK - Bernard C. Ramsdell, 80, of Beech Ridge Road, York died on Thursday, March 31, 2005, having fought a valiant fight against leukemia. He didn’t give up and his health frequently improved to the point where he was able to attend church and golf, as well as work around the house and happily spend another Christmas and Easter with his family.
He was born in Lubec, Maine, on Dec. 16, 1924, the son of Victor and Rena (McNevin) Ramsdell. He was a 1942 graduate of Rockland High School and a 1950 graduate of the University of Maine at Orono receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Mr. Ramsdell worked as an engineer and supervisor in the design department of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for 30 years, retiring in 1980.
He was known for his desire to help others and his church. He was a kind and generous man with a great sense of humor.
He was a devoted husband and he and the love of his life, Erdine, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 19, 2004. He was a loving dad and a wonderful example to his children and all who knew him, a man known for his encouraging comments to others. He loved to serve God.
Bernie was an avid gardener and golfer. In younger years, he was the coach of the Mustangs Little League team in York from 1970 to 1971.
He was an active member of the Middle Street Baptist Church in Portsmouth. He taught fifth- and sixth-grade Sunday school for 30 years and served on many church boards and clubs.
He volunteered at Sentinel Baptist Camp in Tuftonboro, N.H., working on buildings with other volunteers and maintaining the camp for 20 years; working as camp counselor for 10 years; serving on camps and conference committees and was recently on the Securities Committee for the American Baptist Churches of Vermont/New Hampshire. He mentored children for eight years at the York Middle School, always telling his family how much that meant to him. Mr. Ramsdell had a heart for serving others and he will be deeply and forever missed by us all.
His family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at the York Hospital who provided such compassionate care to Mr. Ramsdell and his family.
He was predeceased by a sister, Charlene Boyne.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Erdine (Hocking) Ramsdell of York; two sons, Dana V. Ramsdell of York and Alan A. Ramsdell of Sanford; one daughter, Lori C. Kelley and her husband, Jim, of Ohio; one brother, Ellis Ramsdell of Miami, Fla.; two sisters, Mary Ramsdell of Miami, Fla., and Marilyn McLain of Brunswick, Maine; five grandchildren and one greatgrandson.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Middle Street Baptist Church Memorial Fund, 18 Court St., Portsmouth, N.H., 03801. Arrangements by the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, York.
