SCARBOROUGH – Scarborough’s first female firefighter, Marilyn Nelson, has died at the age of 82.

According to a statement released Monday afternoon by Fire Chief Mike Thurlow, Nelson joined the department in the late 1970 assigned to Engine-5/Tanker-1.

“She was trained on the apparatus and because she lived right behind the station she often drove either Engine 5 or the old Army 6×6 tank truck to emergency calls,” wrote Thurlow. “She also served for many years as the department clerk maintaining our financial records. Chief Carson often commented that she could add up a list of numbers more accurately and faster than he could on his adding machine, something Marilyn was quite proud of.”

Nelson’s sons, Joe and Cleon, joined her in the fire service, and recently her grandson, Ryan, joined the ranks of E5/T1 as the company’s newest member.

Visiting hours will be held at Jones, Rich, & Hutchins, 199 Woodford Street, in Portland from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 9. The funeral is at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 10, at the South Gorham Baptist Church, 53 County Road in Gorham, with interment to follow.

Scarborough’s first female firefighter Marilyn Nelson and Fire Chief B. Michael Thurlow.
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