Grace Kuusela

GORHAM — Grace Constance “Connie” Kuusela, 92, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, at the Barron Center in Portland.

The daughter of Albert and Grace (Meadows) Skipp, she was born in London, England, on Oct. 10, 1924. Grace was educated in London, and spent her teenage years there as well, enduring the Battle of Britain and the hardships of World War II. It was here she met her future husband, Laurence Elmer Kuusela, at an afternoon tea dance at the Royal Opera House, while Elmer was recuperating from injuries sustained during the Battle of the Bulge.

After the war, she arrived on the Queen Mary in 1947, and was met by Elmer in New York, and together they traveled to Monson, Maine. They were married on Dec. 27, 1947, and soon moved to Massachusetts to start their life together, and then on to Gorham, Maine. There they raised three children and Grace worked part-time in various office jobs.

Her most enjoyable and satisfying position was working for the town office in Gorham. Grace became very active in the community, joining various clubs and organizations such as PTA, Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Anna Louise Carey Music Club, and her beloved British Overseas Wives Club.

Grace and Elmer also enjoyed building and residing summers at their family cottage on Long Lake in Harrison. During retirement, they also enjoyed dancing, traveling and spending winters in Florida.

Grace was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Laurence Elmer; as well as her sister, Gwendolyn Johnston of London, England.

Grace is survived by her daughter, Susan Kuusela Wood of Casco; her son, Larry Kuusela of Raymond; and her son, Ron of Gorham; her five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at Dolby Funeral Chapel, 434 River Road, Windham, on Saturday, May 6, 2017, time to be determined. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Gorham, and a reception will follow at a location to be announced.

For additional information and to sign Grace’s online guestbook, please visit: www.dolbyfuneralchapels.com

And now, as Grace would say to all of you, “TTFN.”

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Grace’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Scarborough, ME or the Barron Center, 1145 Brighton Avenue, Portland, ME 04102.