NORTH BRIDGTON – Almira Taft-Oliver, 93 of North Bridgton, died at her home on October 22, 2010. She was born on December 22, 1916 in Versailles, Conn. to Adlard & Alphonsine (Savigeau) Gadue and attended Connecticut schools. She had been employed by the State of Connecticut for 29 years at the Mansfield State Training School, retiring as supervisor for the center. Almira was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bridgton and was awarded the Catholic Charities of Maine, Bishop Amedee Proulx Award for outstanding volunteerism in 2009, was a member and past president of the Women’s Guild, worked in Church Life and was a volunteer for the Lazarus Ministry and was active in the Lakeside Garden Club.

She is survived by one son Douglas A. Taft of North Bridgton; one brother Frederick Gadue of Occum, Conn.; one sister Loretta Cadorette of Westerly, R.I.; 6 grandchildren – Rhonda Smith of Florida, Denise Fitzsimmons of Columbia, Conn., Dawn Eileen Taft of North Bridgton, George Richard Taft II of Tolland, Conn., Douglas Arthur Taft Jr. of Otisfield and Dayna Lea Shulack of Lovell and 8 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her first husband George Taft in 1982; her second husband W. Guy Oliver in 1995 and one son George R. Taft in 2004.

Visiting hours will be held at the Raymond-Wentworth Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton on Tuesday evening, October 26th 6-8 PM. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 1 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bridgton. Burial will be in the North Bridgton Cemetery.

Memorials in Almira’s memory are requested to Our Lady’s Garden c/o St. Joseph Catholic Church P.O. Box 310, Bridgton, Maine 04009 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105. Online condolences may be left for the family at: www.andrewsgreenleaf.com