Dorothy Hansen dies
2005-05-27
Dorothy T. Hansen, formerly of Gray and Brunswick, died Monday, May 23, at her home after a battle with brain cancer.
Dorothy was born on April 25, 1939, in Edmore, Michigan, to the Rev. Dolliver and Mrs. Ruth Thogerson. Most of her young life was spent in Falmouth before moving to West Branch, Iowa, where she attended high school. While Dorothy stayed in the Midwest to earn her degree in music education at Iowa Teachers' College, her family relocated back to Falmouth. It was on one of her visits home that she met her future husband, Hans M. Hansen III. Dorothy and Skip were married in 1960, and made their home in Gray. In 1990, they moved to Brunswick. After her husband died, she moved to Portland.
Dorothy is well-known and loved throughout Southern Maine for her musical gifts and talents. She was the harpist for the Portland Symphony Orchestra in the 1970s, and provided music for numerous weddings, musicals and celebrations. She loved sharing her talent, and had many fine harp students. Her music led her to be involved with many local music groups, clubs and ensembles. She was honored most recently to serve her fellow musicians as President of the Rossini Club.
In addition to her musical career, Dorothy was a music teacher in the Gray-New Gloucester school system for a semester, and also enjoyed working in retail at Jordan Marsh and Macy's, as well as selling jewelry at Fairbanks, Frost and Lowe.
The greatest joy in Dorothy's life, outside of her family, was her faith. A lifelong Christian, Dorothy was a very active member at Emmaus Lutheran Church, where she served the church as Choir Director for more than 25 years. She participated in bible studies, taught Sunday school, served on committees and gave her time freely in any way she could. Dorothy was an example to all around her of how to live her faith.
Dorothy is survived by her mother, Mrs. Ruth Thogerson, of Huxley, Iowa; brother David Thogerson, of Davis, Illinois; brother Mark Thogerson, of Whitehall, Michigan; daughter Heidi Western, of Burlington, Vermont; daughter Vivika DeNegre, of Guilford, CT; son Fritz Hansen, of Westbrook, Maine; seven grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and numerous friends.
A memorial gathering was held on Thursday, May 26, at Wilson Funeral Home, and a memorial service was held at 10 A.M. on Friday, May 27, at Emmaus Lutheran Church, 265 Middle Road, Falmouth, with Pastor Robert G. Gustavson officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Dorothy Hansen Memorial Fund, Emmaus Lutheran Church, 265 Middle Road, Falmouth, ME 04105.
George Muzzy dies
2005-05-27
George Muzzy, of Gray, passed away peacefully at Maine Medical Center on May 24, at the age of 87.
He leaves to mourn him his wife of 58 years, Beatrice, and their children, Susan Wood and her husband Barry, Karen Webb and Peter Muzzy and his wife Sue. He leaves seven grandchildren: Chris Muzzy, Scott Muzzy, Amy Wood, Eric Wood, Jena Webb, Sarah Muzzy and Heather Muzzy. He is mourned also by his brother, Mark Muzzy, and sisters June Thurber, Mae Muzzy and Carol Joyce.
George graduated from Pennell Institute in 1935, and joined the Army Air Corps, serving during the war years in Karachi, India. After the war, he was employed most of his working life in the retail food business with the A&P Tea Company.
He was a life member of the Gray Congregational Church, and served many years as a deacon.. He worked with the Boy Scouts, and served on the local School Board. He and his wife crisscrossed the country by car and plane dozens of times, keeping in close contact with the children and their families. Bowling was another joy, and he was a pro. He loved his home and family, and he will be deeply missed by all who loved him.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Wilson Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at the Gray Congregational Church on Saturday, May 28, at 10:00 A.M. A graveside service will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gray Congregational Church on Brown Street in Gray.
Forrest Walker, 77
2005-06-03
Forrest E Walker, Jr., 77, died May 30 at home with his family, following a battle with cancer. He was born in Flint, Michigan, on September 9, 1927, to Forrest and Beatrice Walker. "Junior", to his family and friends, moved to Portland in 1939, where he graduated from Deering High School in 1945. In December of that same year he was drafted into the military and did his basic training at Fort Knox. He was later transferred to the 2nd Armored Division as a tank commander at Camp Hood, Texas.
He came back to Maine in 1947; later that same year, he and his father bought Apex Tire, which became Walker Tire on Forest Avenue. Junior and his father together ran Walker Tire; they moved the business to Falmouth in 1958. His father retired in 1967. At that time Junior and his brother ran the business together. He sold that building in 1995 and reestablished in Gray that same year, where he continued to work until 2002.
On September 19, 1948, he married Jennie F. Anderson and together they had three children. They enjoyed traveling and camping with the Good Sam Club, of which they were both lifetime members, and active members of the Pine Crafter's Chapter. They also enjoyed spending time with their family and friends. They worked side-by-side running Walker Tire until Jennie passed away in 1995.
Junior will be most remembered for his story-telling and his love of life. He loved telling the stories of his army days and travels. He especially loved to tell his stories of his customers at the shop.
Junior is survived by a brother, Stephen M. Walker, of New Gloucester; his children, Stephen M. Walker and wife Ann, of Windham, Dana Walker and wife Joan, of Gray, and Cynthia Walker-North and husband Frank, of Naples; grandchildren Stephen M. Walker and fiance Katrina, Andrea Southard and husband Dan, James Walker and wife Beth, Angela Agana and husband Greg, Heather Bowman, Nicole DeLage and husband Matthew, Rebecca Walker and Anna Walker; and 4 great-grandchildren, Tyler, Rory, Natalie and Courtney; 4 step-great-grandchildren Jessica, Kayla, Christopher and Danny; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was on Thursday at Wilson Funeral Home, 24 Shaker Road, Gray, where a funeral will be held 10 A.M. on Friday, Committal will be in Gray Village Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Maine Children's Cancer Program, 100 Campus Drive, Scarborough, ME 04074.
Arthur Ritzmann
2005-07-15
Arthur M. Ritzmann, 87, of Gray and Holiday, Florida, passed away on July 9. He was under the care of Hernando-Pasco Hospice House, Hudson, Florida.
Mr. Ritzmann was born in the Bronx, New York, on October 19, 1917. He was a retired sales executive with Belwin Mills Publishing Company, a World War II U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a member of F&AM Masonic Morton Lodge, Wantagh, Long Island, New York and a member of the Presbyterian Church of Seven Springs in New Port Richey, Florida.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth; son Richard Ritzmann and his wife Ellen; three daughters, Carol Wolf and her husband Kenneth, of Miller Place, New York, Nancy Murphy and her husband John, of Oakdale, New York, and Lynn Gwinn and her husband David, of Winchester, Virginia; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or Alzheimer's Family Organization.
Arrangements are under the direction of the North Meadowlawn Funeral Home, New Port Richey, Florida.
Elaine M. Moran, 79
2005-08-05
Elaine Marie Moran, 79, of New Gloucester, died Wednesday July 27, 2005 after a lengthy illness.
Elaine was born in Auburn on September 26, 1925, a daughter of William Ferracci and Gabrielle (Martin) Ferracci. She was educated in Mt. Vernon, NY, schools and graduated from AB Davis High School Class of 1943.
She worked for many years as a Direct Care giver at Pineland Center. After retirement she volunteered at Memorial School in New Gloucester helping especially with the reading program. She was an avid reader, enjoyed yard sailing, and getting away to camp.
She will be remembered as a generous, liberal, understanding and open-minded woman. She had a wonderful sense of humor and wit who liked to keep things light and maintained this spirit throughout her life. Most important to her was her family and any occasion for a gathering.
She is survived by five children: Roger LeClair, Jr. of Gray; Dr. James LeClair, of California; Barbara Milleisen of New York; Dorian LeClair, of Bowdoin; and Richard LeClair, of Freeport; 11 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Robert Ferracci, of Monmouth, and William Ferracci, of Florida. She was predeceased by her two husbands, James Moran and Roger LeClair, Sr., her brother Fern, and her granddaughter Loni LeClair.
Services for Elaine will be held at a later time by the family. Arrangements are under the care of Lindquist Funeral Home, One Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth, ME 04096.
Robert Niss
2005-08-12
Robert Sharples Niss, 56, passed away peacefully Thursday, August 4, at Maine Medical Center after battling courageously for years over a debilitating illness.
Mr. Niss lived on West Gray Road for many years.
Born in Belfast on March 23, 1949, and raised in Bath, he graduated from Proctor Academy in Andover, NH, and from Colorado College in 1971 with a degree in journalism.
He came from a long line of writers and historians, among them Maine's own Samuel Eliot Morison and Jacob Abbot, and had been putting pen to paper since the age of 8 for his summer camp's weekly newspaper.
For several years, he wrote fondly for the "Back Forty", a column in the Maine Sunday Telegram. It was a tremendous outlet for his most beloved pastimes: camping, paddling, hiking and so forth. Numerous awards were bestowed upon him from the AP, UPI, FBI and more.
We have lost someone special who no longer feels the pain of a disease that robbed him of years of his life.
He was predeceased by his mother, Abby S. Niss.
He is survived by his father, William U. Niss; two sons, Joshua C. Niss and Matthew J.R. Niss; a sister, Sarah Payson; several nieces, greatnieces and nephews; childhood friend, William T. Phinney; many beloved friends and colleagues.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 16, at 10 A.M. at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Congress Street, Portland.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Baxter State Park Donation Fund, 64 Balsam Drive, Millinocket, Maine 04062.
Anne F. Whitney Herrick
2005-08-12
Anne F. Whitney Herrick, 69, of Pownal, died in Pownal on August 4, 2005, after a tough battle with Multiple Myeloma. She was born May 6, 1936, in Windham, the daughter of Harland and Christine (MacDonald) Whitney. She grew up in Gray, attended local schools and graduated from Pennell Institute.
In the 1950s, she lived in Washington, D.C., where she was employed by the Veteran's Administration. She later accepted a position with the National Council of YMCAs in the Railroad Division. Her office was located in the old Union Station in Washington, D.C., and overlooked the Concourse. She loved the "hustle and bustle" of the trains and enjoyed talking about the interesting people she met and how different life was at that time.
Later she moved to Ashland, Ohio, where she worked in several capacities while raising a family. In Ashland, she was also an active volunteer in town, church and school activities and was a member of the First Methodist Church of Ashland. She was also a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. After returning to Maine, Anne was employed by Thomas P. Beals Furniture, supervising the Country Store. During this time, she obtained her Real Estate license and sold real estate until she went to work for L. L. Bean as Facilities Coordinator. She remained in this capacity until retirement. In retirement, she worked for DeLorme Mapping and for the Basketbarn of Vermont. In 1987, Anne married Martin R. Herrick, of Peaks Island. They enjoyed many loving and happy years together. They became involved in genealogy and traced their ancestors back many generations. She was reasonably well traveled and, especially, enjoyed her trips to Nova Scotia and Scotland. Her great-great-grandparents were among the original settlers of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. In Scotland, she was thrilled to walk the streets in Edinborough as her great,-great-grandfather had before her.
Anne enjoyed raising flowers and spent many hours in her flowerbeds until her illness forced her to stop. She was a great cook and enjoyed making her husband his favorite pies as well as baking all sorts of other wonderful pastries and breads.
Her greatest enjoyment was her family. She loved family gatherings and spending time with her children and grandchildren, whom she loved dearly. She was always a "big tease" and loved playing tricks on her grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and could usually find a "funny side" to things.
She attended the Pownal Congregational Church and was a member of the AARP. Anne was predeceased by three daughters, Linda, Cynthia and Kathy Cordell; her parents; and two brothers, Warren and Ralph Whitney. She is survived by her loving husband, Martin Herrick of Pownal; two daughters, Cheryl Croxford and her husband, Curt, of Pittston; Carolyn Pollard and her husband Jeff of Raymond; two granddaughters, Jessica Hinds and her husband, Joshua, of Gardiner and Christina Pollard of Raymond; two grandsons, Jason Croxford of Pittston and Jeffrey Pollard, Jr., of Raymond; great-grandchildren Gregory and Brianna Hinds of Gardiner; one brother, Wilbert Whitney and his wife, Janet, of Augusta; two sisters-in-law, Adeline Whitney of Gray and Paula Whitney of Fitchburg, MA; her mother-in-law, Eileen Herrick, of Machiasport; a brother-in-law, Mark Herrick and his wife, Debra, of West Paris; several aunts and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Contributions may be made to the First Parish Congregational Church, 461 Elmwood Road, Pownal, ME 04069, c/o Edna Menchen.
