Obituaries from the week of 04/16/09

He was born March 28, 1937 in Norway, the son of Charles P. Bell and Maybell Bartlett Bell. He was a graduate of Norway High School. After graduation he served four years as an MP in the U.S. Air Force in Okinawa, Japan. He later went on to serve 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserves.

He started his law enforcement career as a deputy with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department. In 1972, he became the Chief of Police for the Bridgton Police Department where he served for 32 years until his retirement in Feb., 2004. During his career as the Police Chief of Bridgton, he was a member and Past President of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, as well as their liaison for the Special Olympics of Maine. In 1985, Bob presented the idea of the Law Enforcement Torch Run to Maine’s Special Olympics Executive Mickey Boutilier, and then to the Maine Chiefs of Police Association. As a result the Maine Torch Run program began. He also spent countless volunteer hours in order to estab-lish the Law Enforcement/Special Olympics Torch Run around the world. He served for 6 years as a member of the Maine Special Olympics Board of Directors and was also on the Law Enforcement/Special Olympics National Advisory Council rep-resenting Region 1 for the New England Area and New York. In 1999, the Special Olympics of Maine established the Bob Bell Award. This award is the highest honor a member of the Maine Law Enforcement community may receive for their dedication to the Special Olympics of Maine. He is the only member of Maine Law Enforcement to be elected to the International Law Enforcement Special Olympics Hall of Fame, an award presented to him by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1997 in New York City.

He was a longtime member and two-time Past President of the Bridgton Lions Club and most recently a member of the Board of Selectmen for the Town of Bridgton.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Janice F. Bell; his son, Gary C. Bell of Harrison; his daughter, Joleen A. Bell of Naples; his sister, Merline Martin of Norway; his brother, Lester ‘Skip’ Bell of Atlanta, Ga.; son-in-law, Brian S. Hayes; daughter-in-law, Catherine Bell; grandchildren, Christina Dargie and Edward Radcliffe; great-grandchildren, Chloe and Tyler; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by his brother, David Martino, his sister, Arlene Truman and a nephew, Charles ‘Chuck’ R. Truman.

Memorial services were held Monday at the First Congregational Church, So. High Street, Bridgton. Interment will be later in the spring at Forest Hills Annex Cemetery. Arrangements by Weston-Chandler Funeral Home, 45 Main Street, South Paris. Online condolences maybe shared with his family at www.westonchandler.com

In lieu of flowers donations in Bob’s memory may be sent to: Maine Special Olympics, Attn. Linda, 125 John Roberts Road, So. Portland, ME 04106.

Chester was born in Arlington, Mass, Nov. 23, 1925, the son of Rowland and Ivy Burton Page. Chet grew up in Waltham and graduated from the schools there in 1944. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corp during World War II in the South Pacific. After the war, he graduated from Bentley College School of Accounting. He worked for many years for Stone Dairy in Waltham, which became part of H. P. Hood & Sons. He worked for Ropes and Gray in Boston until his retirement in 1989. For many years, he and his family summered in Ocean Park, moving to Maine permanently in 2000. Prior to moving to Maine, he served on many committees for his church, the Beth Eden Baptist Church in Waltham Mass. While in Maine he became a member of the United Baptist Church of Saco, where he was a member of the Deaconate. Mr. Page was also a member of the Ocean Park Association.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Ruth Wagner Page of Kennebunk and Ocean Park; three daughters, Deborah Guimont of Ocean Park, Janice Leyton of Hopkinton, Mass., and Martha Griffiths of Mattapoisett, Mass.; a sister, Shirley Downing of Denmark; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

A private graveside service will be held at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco. A memorial service will be held Sunday, April 26, 2009, at 2 p.m. at the United Baptist Church, Main Street, Saco, Dr. Burton Howe officiating. Dennett, Craig and Pate Funeral Home of Saco are assisting with the services. Friends and family wishing to make memorial contributions may do so to: The Ocean Park Association, 14 Temple Ave., Ocean Park, ME 04063.

She was born in Bridgton on Sept. 15, 1926, daughter of Peter Daraich and Bernice Hill and grew up in Freeport. Ruth was married to Ronald P. Fogg, who passed away in 2006, after 62 years of marriage. They made their home on Tenney Hill in Casco, where they raised their children. She was employed for 35 years at Wilner Wood Heels in Norway. Her favorite pastime was cooking and entertaining her family and friends.

Surviving are her children, Dianne Bell of Clermont, Fla., Marilyn Winslow of Casco, and Wyman Fogg of Naples; two grandsons, three granddaughters and nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Mary Ann Hewitt of Exeter, N.H.; a brother, Harvey Daraich of Houston, Texas.

She was predeceased by her sister, Catherine.

A graveside service was held Wednesday at the Tenney Hill Cemetery in Casco. Arrangements are by Hall Funeral Home, Casco. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her memory to: The Alzheimer’s Association of Maine, 170 US Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.

He was born Nov. 26, 1932, the son of Rene and Irma Potvin. He worked in local shoe shops, Belmoc Shoe, Timberland Shoe, Eastland Shoe and Norway Footwear until his retirement at age 62. He spent his remaining years with his family, working on his farm, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, cutting firewood and spending time at his cabin in the woods.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jacqueline Gagne Potvin; children, Paul of Mechanic Falls, Dennis of Poland, Gary of Raymond, and Janine Coleman of Minot; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a brother, Laurier Potvin of Auburn.

To honor Pete’s wishes, there will be no funeral. A private Mass will be held at a later date.

She was born on March 11, 1945, in Otisfield, the daughter of Florence and Edwin Jillison. She lived in Barrington, N.H. until moving to Hudson about 10 years ago. Her life was devoted to her husband, family and friends. She was also fond of going to bingo. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Survivors include her devoted husband of 48 years, Gordon Lewis, Sr. of Hudson, who was born and grew up in Harrison; sons, Gordon (Leslie), Jr., of Rochester, N.H., Jeffrey of Portland, and Roger of Rochester, N.H.; and one daughter, Kathy Cooper of New Durham, N.H.; two sisters, Luba Tice and Sonja Fergerson; one brother Kurt Heawood; nieces, nephews, nine grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way.

Graveside services will be held at a later date for family only, at her request.

He was born in Gloucester, Mass., a son of Alfred and Mary White Muise, and was educated in local schools. Mr. Muise was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He spent his life working as a commercial fisherman.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Lucille Gray; a daughter, Susan Muise; and also a brother, Robert Muise.

He is survived by his wife Mary Rohan Muise of Gloucester, Mass.; two sons, Harold (Al) Jr. and Steve Muise; a daughter, Mary Ann Fletcher, all of Gloucester, Mass.; a son, Joseph Muise of Bridgton; daughters, Deborah McCullock and Jean Gagnon, both of Nashua, N.H.; and a daughter, Larayne Frankenberry of Manassas, Va.; six sisters, Larayne Andersen of Gloucester, Mass., Dorothy Fennell of Lynn, Mass., Barbara Cameron and Jean Powers of Fla., June Stoutjesdyk and Myra Marshall, both of Michigan; a stepdaughter, Kelly Lowmaster of Michigan; and a stepson, Jim Rohan of Gloucester, Mass.; 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to invite everyone to a celebration of his life Saturday, April 18 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Moose on Main Street, Gloucester, Mass. A Mass reading will be held on May 9 at 8:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church on Prospect Street, Gloucester, Mass. Arrangements are made with Wood Funeral Home, Fryeburg.