Obituaries from the week of 05/14/09

She was born on May 5, 1937 in Worcester, Mass., to J. Frances and Frank Boruch. She grew up in Worcester and attended South High School, where she was known as South's answer to Grace Kelly. Nancy's high school sweetheart, Donald Gene Erickson, attended Harvard College which is why “Harvard” held her heart. Nancy attended Smith College in Northampton, Mass. Nancy and Donald were married on June 7, 1957.

After living in Philadelphia, Penn. and later in Bangor, Nancy and Donald made their family home on Quaker Ridge Road in South Casco. Nancy devoted her life to her husband and their four daughters. Her grandchildren gave her immeasurable joy and pride. The entire family treasured time together at their family cabin in Casco, known simply as Camp. Nancy and Donald shared 57 years of happiness.

Nancy was a wife, mother and grandmother like no other, and her devotion to her family had no limits. They are deeply saddened by their loss but will always hold her close to their hearts.

Nancy was predeceased by her son, Timothy Brooks Erickson. She is survived by her loving husband, Donald Gene Erickson; her daughters, Pamela Beth Rankin, Amy Erickson, Melissa Warren and Beth Boos; her precious grandchildren, R. Brooks Rankin, Kathryn Wagner, Brianna Xin Ying Warren, Aleah Li Qiu Warren, Emily Elizabeth Bartlett, Olivia Anne Bartlett, and David James Boos. She is also survived by her mother and sister of South Carolina.

A private service was held on Nancy's birthday, May 5, 2009, at Dolby Funeral Chapel in South Windham, Maine. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations designated for toys and entertainment for the children at Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, Child Life Fund, 22 Bramhall St., Portland, ME 04102.

We love you, Nan, Mom, Grandma. We wish you were here. Happy Mother's Day.

During his working years John was a district operations manager for Servomation Corp. and a salesman for Clean-O-Rama, Associated Textile and Richo Products. In semiretirement he worked at Ellsworth Builders Supply and drove cars for Morrison Chevrolet and Stanley Subaru. He is survived by his wife, Beverlee; four children, Lori, Jon, Lisa and James; four grandchildren, Stephani, Alison, Orion and Briella; one great-granddaughter, Tayelor; two sisters, Carol and Barbara. John was predeceased by his father; and a grandson, Rigel.

Calling hours and a memorial service were held Friday, May 8, at Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth. Contributions in John's memory may be made to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, 50 Union St., Ellsworth, ME 04605. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.

Kern is a veteran of World War II, serving in the European, Africa and Middle Eastern Campaigns. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.A., with a major in zoology and minor in anthropology, and was a loyal fan of the Volunteers. He was a public school teacher in Tennessee, Ohio and Maine for a total of 35 years. During his 25-year tenure at Lemon-Monroe High School, Monroe, Ohio; he was faculty advisor for the Student Council and the high school year book, supervised the building of sets and the stage crew for the spring musicals, and coached Jr. High girls' tennis.

For the past 26 years Mr. Cate recorded and reported the weather statistics in Hiram for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

He studied Oboe with Ferdinand Pryor of the Cincinnati Symphony, and Clifford Graffam of the Portland Symphony. He was a member of the Middletown Symphony, Middletown, Ohio, the Bridgton Town Band, Bridgton, the S.D. Warren Band, Westbrook, and the Light House Rangers handbell choir in Ossipee, New Hampshire.

A lifelong learner, he helped form a weekly men's Bible study group at the First Congregational Church, UCC, in Bridgton, where he was an active member, serving on various boards and committees. He also studied Greek and translated the Book of Mark from the original Greek text with his longtime friend, John Davidson.

He donated his body to the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine to aid in the education of future doctors.

Mr. Cate enjoyed music, gardening, reading, his family and life. He often said there was no reason for anyone to ever be bored.

A service to commemorate and celebrate his life was held at the First Congregational Church, Bridgton, on Monday, May 11.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Congregational Church, UCC, Music Fund, POBox 243, Bridgton, ME 04009.

He was born May 5, 1915 in Unity, son of Almond Farwell and E. Maude Farwell. He began his schooling in a one-room schoolhouse across the road from his parents’ home. He graduated from Unity High School in 1931 at the age of 16. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1936, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. After teaching school in Buckfield for two years, he began a 34-year teaching career at Greeley Institute in Cumberland. He first taught vocational agriculture, then mathematics, and ended his teaching career as the school principal in 1971. Bill loved teaching and was a fair-minded disciplinarian who respected his students and was respected in return. He was a man of truth and integrity. Mr. Farwell was a founding member of the Cumberland County Teachers Credit Union in 1954 and served on the Board of Directors for 44 years. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and belonged to the Cumberland Farmers Club where he served as its treasurer for many years. He was an active member of the Falmouth Congregational Church, serving in several capacities. For many years he could be found on the high school basketball courts refereeing the games around southern Maine. He also enjoyed playing golf and was one of the original investors in Val Halla Golf Club. He married his high school sweetheart, Avis Ward, in 1936 and they had three children. Bill and Avis enjoyed many years wintering in Florida where they spent time shuffle boarding and meeting new friends. Bill also enjoyed carpentry, traveling, cooking, gardening, the Red Sox, and crossword puzzles. At the age of 85, he learned to use a computer and enjoyed e-mailing friends and using the Internet.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Avis; a son, Brian Farwell of Phillips; two daughters, Martha Peterson of Mount Vernon, Wash., and Deborah Auclair of Cumberland; seven grandchildren including Susan Bachand of Casco; and four great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Lilla Pierpont and Margaret Tweedie.

A celebration of life was held Wednesday, May 13, at the Falmouth Congregational Church, 267 Falmouth Road, Falmouth. Burial followed at Blanchard Cemetery, 215 Winn Rd., Falmouth with a reception after in the church hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to: Alzheimer’s Association Maine Chapter, 170 US Route One, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105 or Susan G. Komen for the Cure Maine Affiliate, PO Box 126, Bangor, ME 04402-1626.

Claire was born in Westbrook on Feb. 19, 2009, the daughter of Eugene and Hilda Anderson LaMontagne and was educated in Westbrook schools and attended Gray’s Business College. In 1942, Claire married Jean Doiron and while he was in Europe fighting the war, she remained here, working in the family business. When Jean returned, they started a family and together had six children. She was a member of Delta Phi Sorority and was a Blue Bird Leader with the Camp Fire Girls. A volunteer at the Southern Maine Medical Center for a year and a half, she also volunteered at the Brighton Medical Center for over 13 years. She was a Foster Grandparent volunteer since 1999, and worked at various schools where she was loved by all her teachers and children she came in contact with. She loved to tap dance and was doing so into her middle 70s.

Claire was predeceased by her husband of 45 years, Jean F. Doiron; and one son, Lawrence J. Doiron.

She is survived by her children, Gene F. Doiron of California, Adele Long of Raymond, Raeanne Bayani of Colorado, Joan C. Snow of Colorado, and Diane Tabor of Illinois; three sisters, Joan Martel and Jeannie Gouzie, both of Westbrook and Carole Jordan of Buxton; 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

A memorial Mass of Christian Burial was held on Saturday, May 9, 2009, at St. Anthony’s Church on Brown Street in Westbrook. Interment was in Dow’s Corner Cemetery in Standish. Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care, 471 Deering Ave., Portland. Memories may be shared, a guest book signed and condolences offered to the family at the obituary page at www.independentdeathcare.com

A memorial Mass of Christian Burial was held on Saturday, May 9, 2009, at St. Anthony’s Church on Brown Street in Westbrook. Interment was in Dow’s Corner Cemetery in Standish. Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care, 471 Deering Ave., Portland. Memories may be shared, a guest book signed and condolences offered to the family at the obituary page at www.independentdeathcare.com

The family requests that donations be made to the Foster Grandparent Program, St. John Street, Portland.

Leona was born Oct. 26, 1926, the youngest child, to Oscar and Tina Hamilton Doughty in North Yarmouth. She grew up and attended schools in North Yarmouth. She was married to Orville Davis and later to Harlon “Spud” Jones. Most of the years her children were growing up, she was a homemaker. She worked at Pineland Hospital a few years, then later in life at GNGHS lunch program, retiring to help raise grandchildren. She always took much pride in her home and really enjoyed caring for it and having family and friends visit. Her cat, Dolly, was a joy to her and she loved her plants and flowers. Her greatest joy was time spent with family, who she loved deeply. She always believed her greatest riches were her children who also loved her deeply. She leaves 83 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild who were all her treasures too. She gave and received much love and respect from her entire family and they will all miss her very much.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband Harlon “Spud” Jones; brothers George, Harland, and Forrest Doughty and sisters Julia Best, Hazel Montague, Hilda Jewett, Marjorie Brown and Helen Perkins; a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters.

Survivors include daughters Wilma Gordon of Gray, Margaret Maines of Coventry, R.I., Nancy Weymouth of Norway, Pamela Webb of New Gloucester, Beverly Whitney of Gray, Julie Dunlop of Bowdoinham, Fonda Lorenz of Raymond; sons O. Wayne Davis of Lewiston, Arnold Davis of Milan, N.H.; stepsons Douglas Jones of Florida and Scott Jones of Gray; 84 grandchildren, great and great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 16 in Upper Gloucester Cemetery in New Gloucester. Arrangements entrusted to Wilson Funeral Home, Gray.

Allegra was born on Sept. 15, 1929 in Millinocket, the daughter of Herbert and Margaret (Emery) Shaw. She was raised in Gorham where she graduated from Gorham High School in 1947. She went to work for J.J. Nissen Baking Company in Portland in 1952. She started out working nights as a bread racker and worked her way up over the next 12 years to become supervisor of the cake department. During her early years in the industry, she served as a shop steward and recording secretary for the local baker’s union. She was recruited by Jimmy Hoffa in 1964 to work with the Teamsters Union organizing women for the union nationwide. She made a life-changing decision that year and committed her professional career to management. In 1959, her husband of 10 years Robert Carlton Cannon passed away. She enrolled in night school at the University of Maine that same year and took management and leadership classes to prepare for her future. She never remarried. In 1966, Ed Freihofer from Albany, N.Y., offered her the opportunity she had been working for all those years. That July she and her son Bob moved to Albany where she became Plant Manager for the Freihofer Baking Company’s cake plant. At that time, the plant was producing about 38,000 to 40,000 cake, pie and cookie units per day. In the 1980s, she oversaw the construction of Freihofer’s new Danish, sweet yeast and puff line plant, the first computerized commercial bakery operation in the country. When she retired in 1987, combined production at both of the plants she managed had raised to 180,000 to 190,000 units daily. She retired as the first — and 21 years later — only female wholesale bakery manager in the country, perhaps even in the world. After retiring from Freihofers, she helped form The ClearView Group, Inc. with her son and daughter-in-law and traveled the world for another 10 years consulting in the baking industry. In 1989, she sold her home in New York and moved to Seattle to be near her grandchildren. From then until the time of her death, she lived a half-year in Seattle and a half year at her Maine summer home on The Pond at Bonny Eagle. She enjoyed spending her time with friends and family, and being of service to others. A ground-breaker in her professional life, a pillar of support to her family in her personal life, she will be forever remembered as a loving and caring person who always reached out to help those in need.

Survivors include her son Robert A. Cannon (Leslie); three grandchildren; her sisters Cleo Shaw Sanborn of Raymond, and Theo Shaw Sinkler of Lithonia, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews living in Maine, Illinois and Wisconsin.

A funeral service was held at the Dolby and Dorr Funeral Chapel in Gorham on Monday, May 11, 2009. Following the service, there was a gathering in her memory for family and friends at her home on The Pond at Bonny Eagle, Standish.

He was born in Concord, N.H. on March 13, 1961, the son of Douglas and Evelyn Wood Warriner. He attended schools in Dunbarton, N.H., and Goffstown, N.H. He worked construction and for the Auburn Highway Department for 10 years until illness forced his retirement in 1999. He loved motorcycles. He was a “Harley man,” restoring old trucks and motorcycles. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and loved his family and friends.

He is survived by his mother, Evelyn of Concord, N.H.; his companion of 15 years, Tammy Marston of Harrison; sisters, Gloria Millette of Lewiston, Patricia Paul of Concord, N.H., Cathy Herwig of Monticello, Iowa, and Marianne Warriner of Marion, Iowa; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his father; and two brothers, Douglas Jr. and David S.

Graveside services were held on Tuesday, May 12, at Blossom Hill Cemetery, 207 North State St., Concord, N.H. Arrangements are under the direction of Weston-Chandler Funeral Home, 45 Main St., South Paris. Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.westonchandler.com

She was born in Yarmouth on June 4, 1910, to Mary and Joseph Daniels.

She was predeceased by her husband Bill and her son David.

She is survived by her son Gordon of Raymond; daughters Nancy Bjork of Bridgton and Carol Jordan of Yarmouth; 17 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

A private service will be held for the family.