BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Anna P. Gorham passed away Jan. 13, 2020 in Birmingham, Ala. at the age of 94.

Anna is predeceased by her parents Thomas and Sarah (Murphy) Lee; her brother and his spouse, Thomas and Nancy Lee; her niece, Mary Lee, her nephew, Robert Lee; her sister and her spouse, Elizabeth Lee McClain and Robert McClain, her brothers Rev. Robert Lee, Richard Lee and David Lee, her brother-in-law, John Gorham, her sisters-in-law Mary Gorham, and Julia Gorham Flaherty; her niece, Kathleen Gorham and her nephew, John Gorham

Anna was survived by her loving husband, Coleman P. Gorham of 55 years. They were married in South Portland on July 4, 1964. They lived in Maine, Massachusetts, California, Florida and back to Maine before moving to Birmingham, Ala. two years ago.

Anna is lovingly remembered by her sisters-in-law Dorothy Lee of Portland, and Ann Lee of Chevy Chase, Md.; nieces, Patricia McClain Bennet of Wheeling, W.Va., Kathy McClain Bonaccorsi of Portsmouth, N.H., Kirsten Lee Asplin of Hemet, Calif., Maura Lee of Washington, D.C., Megan Lee Hilah of Oakton, Va., Jeanne Gorham Johnson of Stafford, Va., her nephews Richard Lee Jr. of Arizona, Stephen Lee of Franklin, Wis., Thomas Lee of McClain, Va., Timothy Lee of South Portland, Bryan Lee of Baltimore, Md., Michael Lee of Chevy Chase, Md., Matthew J. Flaherty of Birmingham, Ala., Patrick Gorham of Wyoming, Del., F. Kevin Gorham of Greensboro, N.C.; and several great-nieces and nephews; and great-great-nieces and nephews.

Anna Gorham was born in Portland on Jan. 8, 1926. In the 7th grade, Anna was the Maine State Champion of the National Spelling Bee and was invited to the White House and met President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She graduated from South Portland High School, and went on to earn a B.A. in French from St. Joseph’s College in Standish. Anna received a master’s degree in French from Middlebury College in Vermont, and attended the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. She was an educator in the Maine and Massachusetts school systems and was a member of The Maine Teachers Association and the NEA. She was a leader of the Experiment in International Living and spent time in Paris, France.

Anna was an avid reader and loved books and cross word puzzles. Her hobbies were photography and traveling. Anna was loving, compassionate, kind and warm. She never met a stranger. 

A memorial mass will be held Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Portland with a graveside service at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to

The Sisters of Mercy,

c/o Sister Dale Jarvis,

230 Prospect St.,

Portland, ME 04103, or

Higher Education and Leadership Program for Haiti,

3 Coolidge St.,

Waterville, ME 04901