Margery W. Eliscu, 81
Award-winning columnist
Margery W. Eliscu, 81, a national award-winning columnist, died peacefully on July 27, 2006, at Piper Shores in Scarborough, following weeks of visits and tender loving care from her family and other loved ones, and after a long and valiant fight with cancer.
Born on April 9, 1925, in New York, N.Y., she was the daughter of Richard A. and Estelle Wolff and the sister of Baseball Hall Of Fame sportscaster Bob Wolff.
Marge grew up in Woodmere, Long Island, N.Y., and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1942. She studied music (voice) at Penn State.
In 1943, she married her high school sweetheart, Larry, while he was on active duty in the Army Air Force stationed in Montgomery, Ala. Following WWII, she and Larry moved back to the New York suburbs with their infant son.
In early adulthood, she wrote for a weekly newspaper and magazines, including Babytalk. Later, as her four children grew older, she enjoyed a professional career as a singer in Westchester County, performing in churches and for community groups.
Wonderful memories of attending Camp Waziyatah in the Harrison area brought Marge and family to Vacationland every summer starting in 1958. By 1970, they made a permanent move to Maine.
Marge resurrected her writing career with a humor column for regional newspapers in Maine and New Hampshire, including the Advertiser-Democrat in Norway. For the past 23 years, her Coffee Break column has been in the Portland Sunday Telegram. She produced a column for nearly every week until July 2006.
She loved to write, loved her readers and was always thrilled to hear from or meet them. She was an active member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. In 1995, she won third prize in the humor category. Her writing is also included in the Maine Women Writer’s display at Westbrook College.
Other accomplishments include a book entitled “Russell Baker, Erma Bombeck & Me”; a piece in the anthology “In Stitches”; sample writing used in the No Child Left Behind program; and a full-length screenplay, coauthored with her daughter Kathy-the-nurse, (a family comedy yet to be produced.) She was a frequent public speaker for community groups, with an affinity for addressing cancer survivors.
The home Marge and Larry provided was filled with music, and all four children made music and theatre a part, of their lives; including professional performing.
She loved Broadway musicals, and took a special pleasure and pride in seeing her grandchildren perform so often and so well. She did not let her illness keep her from thoroughly enjoying life, and even while recuperating from a setback in May, she went to every performance of Godspell at Deering High to watch her grandson Will portray Jesus. True to her characteristic exuberance for life, she arose from her wheelchair to give the young performers a standing ovation. Her love of life enabled her to enjoy each day and those who knew her will remember many outings, lunches-out, celebrations, holidays, and the enormous volumes of funny stories accumulated over the years and repeated frequently. She enjoyed playing bridge with the girls and participated in more than one Red Hat Club!
Marge is predeceased by a son, Robert of Zaandam, Holland. She cherished and is survived by Laurence, her husband of 63 years; daughter Laurie of Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.; daughter Kathy of Westbrook; son Steve of Dover, N.H.; 13 grandchildren: Lili, Kathy, Christie, Tommy, Cassie, Sally, William, K.T., Aria, Steven, Lula, Misha, and David; and two great-grandchildren: Emma and David; her grandsons-in-law Paul and Jeremy; and Kathy’s fiance Ted; as well as dear and close family friends whom Marge truly considered family. They know who they are and how much pleasure Marge took in each and every one of them.
In her last days, her daughter Kathy asked if she had any wishes. Yes, she said, that everyone should be happy and well.
In Marge’s memory, it is requested that everyone who reads this hug their loved ones and laugh together!
Our deepest thanks to the incredible staff at Maine Medical Center, the wonderful, warm nurses and staff at Piper Shores, Dr. Peter Emery, Dr. Hector Tarraza, Arlyn O’Rourke, Dr. Susanna Campos, Hospice of Southern Maine, and the American Cancer Society. Every person who helped take care of Marge in the last part of her life made a huge difference, and her family is truly grateful.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later this week by Independent Death Care, 471 Deering Ave., Portland. For more information, call 878-3246.
In lieu of flowers, anyone who wishes may make a donation to: Robert Eliscu Music Scholarship Fund, Norway Savings Bank.
Or, in Marge-style, take a friend out to lunch!
Donald R. Peterson, 61
Donald R. Peterson, 61, of Gorham, died Aug. 1, 2006, at a Portland hospital after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.
Born in Quincy, Mass., he was a son of Herbert and Elizabeth Snow Peterson, and was a graduate of Huntington Prep School in Boston.
For 30 years, Peterson had worked for Sappi (S.D. Warren) in Westbrook and retired in 2000. He had also worked for six years at Sherwin Williams in Westbrook. He was a member of First Parish Congregational Church here. He enjoyed fishing and traveling, especially to Aruba and the family cottage in Cape Cod. He also enjoyed history, politics, being at home and doing projects around the house. He was an avid skier and scuba diver. His family was always his first priority.
He was predeceased by his parents; and a brother, Carl.
Surviving him are his wife of 37 years, Roberta A. Stillman Peterson of Gorham; one son, Eric C. Peterson and his wife Tracey of Foxboro, Mass.; one daughter, Dawn M. Peterson of Gorham; one brother, Herbert Peterson of Stoughton, Mass. and three grandchildren; Abigail, Cole and Drew.
Funeral services were held at First Parish Congregational Church in Gorham with private burial at Eastern Cemetery. Dolby & Dorr Funeral Chapel, Gorham, was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Gibson Pavilion at Maine Medical Center Development Office, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, Maine 04101.
Gerald Howard Steeves, 82
Gerald H. Steeves, of New Brunswick, formerly of Westbrook, died on July 24, 2006, after a lengthy illness.
Gerald was born in Albert Mines, New Brunswick, on May 30, 1924, the son of the late Willis and Vera (Douthwright) Steeves.
He was a carpenter and enjoyed doing woodwork. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, gardening, and driving through the countryside. He greatly appreciated the simplicity and beauty of country life. He was a tenderhearted man who will never be forgotten.
Gerald will be deeply missed by Shirley, his loving wife of 54 years; his three daughters, Marolyn Bissonnette (Gerry) of Saco, Gail Morabito (Brian) of Westbrook, and Beverly Richmond (Roger) of South Freeport; by his sister, Mavis Estabrook (Earl) of Cumberland and by his five grandchildren, Daniel, Emily, Peter, Molly and Abby.
The funeral service was held at the Albert County Funeral Home in New Brunswick on Wednesday, July 26.
Beryl O. Varney, 92
Beryl O. Varney, 92, of Sanford and formerly a longtime resident of Windham, died Aug. 3, 2006, at her home in Sanford surrounded by loving members of her family.
Born in Bowdoinham, she was a daughter of John J. and Edna M. Tibbetts Mailer, and she attended Coombs School there.
During World War II, she was employed at the South Portland Shipyard, and later at Southworth Machine. In 1953, Mrs. Varney began work at S.D. Warren Co. in Westbrook as a paper sorter. She retired from there as an inspector in the finishing department after 25 years of service.
She had attended Windham Plains Church and was a member for 29 years of the American Legion Auxiliary in Westbrook. Mrs. Varney enjoyed music, dancing, word search puzzles, crocheting and sewing. She made many of her children’s clothes during their childhood. She loved to travel or simply go for a ride to see the ocean, mountains, flowers or foliage.
At age 90, she cruised in the Caribbean with 15 members of her family. Everyone who met her fell in love with her and her zest for life. Even strangers remarked about her infectious smile. She also enjoyed watching golf, playing the piano, singing and yodeling. She always hosted holiday meals at her home for her family, and everything was made from scratch. After her family visited her, she insisted they call upon arrival at home so she would know they had arrived safely. She enjoyed many activities with her beloved grandchildren and always maintained that the greatest joy in life was her three girls. She was a caregiver to family and friends, and was especially known for her soft molasses cookies and homemade peanut butter fudge. Varney taught herself to drive and never took a driving test, but continued to drive until she was 86.
She was predeceased by her parents; her husband of nearly 40 years, Harold W. Varney of Windham; two brothers, J. Albion Malier of Casco; and Esric S. Malier of Rossville, Ga.; and one sister, E. Jenice Malier Cash of Casco.
Surviving her are her three daughters: Lucy M. McCabe of Ellsworth; Jennie A. MacDonald of Casco; and Julia F. Cheney and her husband Albert R. Cheney of Lyman; one sister, Frances M. Atwood of Windham; and sister-in-law, Shirley H. Malier of Rossville, Ga.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was a devoted grandmother to 14 grandchildren, 31 great- grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Her funeral was held at Dolby Funeral Chapel, Windham, with interment in the family lot at Smith Cemetery.
In her memory, please consider donations to The Windham Rescue Association, Box 330, Windham, Maine 04062.
Irene Harriman, 88
Irene Harriman, 88, of Turtle Lane, Naples, died August 4, 2006, at a Windham nursing home.
She was born in Westbrook, the daughter of Adrien and Delia Lachance Buteau. She was raised and educated in Westbrook, and worked at the Dana Warp Mill for many years. After the mill closed, she worked at the mill in Biddeford into her 80s.
She enjoyed knitting and working around the house.
Her husband Lawrence Harriman died in 1976.
She is survived by a son Robert of Poland; a daughter Sandra Hartman of Naples; a brother Roland Buteau of Westbrook; two sisters, Eleanor Chase of Gorham; and Dorothy Caron of Westbrook; five grandchildren, Taunya and Robert Harriman; Kelly Kevin; and Susan Hartman; four great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
A memorial mass was held at St. Hyacinth Church in Westbrook. Interment will be in Brooklawn Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Blais & Hay Funeral Home, Westbrook.
Lillian May Fogg, 99
Lillian May Fogg, 99, formerly of the Bonny Eagle Pond Road, Standish died on July 31, 2006, at the Gorham House.
She was born in Avon, Mass. on Sept. 9, 1906, a daughter of Ernest and Phoebe (Look) Peck.
She attended schools in Buxton and graduated from Buxton High School in 1925.
Mrs. Fogg worked at a cloth mill in West Buxton, the Saco Lowell Shops, Dr. Bowers medical office for 10 years, Cook’s Store in Gorham for 10 years, and Deer Pond Variety for four years.
Lillian was known for her dedicated service to the community. She was the president of the Sunday School Corporation for 25 years, a volunteer at St. Anne’s Church in Gorham, and served nine years as the first president of the Bar Mills Fire Department Auxiliary.
She was a member of the Saco River Grange and served as the master for several terms, a member of the Rebekahs Lodge No. 107, and was a member of the Dorcas Society for 60 years.
Lillian had been a member of the Tory Hill Church since 1932 and had been devoutly involved with the church her whole life. She was known for cooking abilities and baked biscuits and pies for the church for various activities and fundraisers. Lillian served as a deaconess at the church for years. For around 30 years, Mrs. Fogg was also an active participant in the church’s annual play, The Peabody Pew.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Norman Fogg; two sisters and one brother.
She is survived by a son, Hartley Fogg and his wife Arvena of Auburn; three daughters, Norma Peters and her husband Robert of Standish, Rosalind Johnson and her husband Frank of Zephyrhills Fla., and Gloria Fox of Buxton; a sister, Eleanor Durant of Waterboro; 15 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and many great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held at Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, Buxton.
The family strongly suggests that if memorial donations are desired, they be made to The First Congregational Church of Buxton, Box 37, Bar Mills, Maine 04004.
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