Deborah L. Ayer
YORK HARBOR - Deborah Lea (Gruber) Ayer, 57, of 6 Norwood Farms Road, York, died March 6, 2008, after a 20-year battle with brain cancer.
Debbie was born Oct. 4, 1950, in Washington, D.C., daughter of Ruth and John Gruber. She graduated from Surattsville High School in Clinton, Md. She moved to Bangor and attended the University of Maine.
She met and married Donald (Skip) Walter Ayer, Jr. Debbie had three children and was a devoted mother and homemaker. Some of her hobbies were sewing and reading, and she loved spending time with her friends.
She was a member of Saint Mary's Parish Church, an active member of the Bangor Junior League and loved going to the Lucerne Lake Beach Club. She later divorced and moved to Gulf Breeze, Fla., where she thoroughly enjoyed the sun and warm weather year round. In 2004, she moved back to Maine to be closer to family. She will be remembered by her quick wit, dry humor and her ability to always get the "Jeopardy" questions right.
Debbie is survived and sadly missed by her three children, Donald Walter Ayer, III, and his wife Allison of Glenburn, Emily Connors and her husband Christopher of York Harbor and Mary Margaret Ayer and her fiancé Sam Brown of Pensacola, Fla.; two grandchildren, Christopher and Teagan; best friend Gayle Kinney of Bangor; parents Ruth and John Gruber of Tucson, Ariz.; sister Missy Paskoski. her husband Russell and their two children, David and Jessie, of Park City, Utah, and brother Karl Gruber, his wife Susan and their two children, Henry and Leah of Saint John, Minn.
She was predeceased by her sister Cynthia Dooley of Binghamton, N.Y.
A special thank-you to the Harbor Home family and to Beacon Hospice of York, who took care of Debbie during her time in York.
Visiting hours and a Catholic service were held on March 11 at Kiley and Foley Funeral Home in Bangor. For those who would like to make a contribution in Debbie's memory, donations may be made to Beacon Hospice Lighthouse Foundation, 42 Brickyard Court, York, ME 03909.
Frank Kelleher
YORK BEACH - Frank G. Kelleher, 83, of York Beach, died Saturday, March 8, 2008.
Born Aug. 16, 1924, in Somerville, Mass., son of James and Margaret (O'Sullivan) Kelleher, he graduated from Somerville High School at 16 and enlisted in the United States Navy after Pearl Harbor, serving on various ships in the Pacific theater, including the U.S.S. Dixie, U.S.S. Tortuga and the U.S.S. Mt. McKinley. Following his military service, Frank graduated from Boston University in 1951 and Boston University School of Law in 1954.
Frank was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1954 and practiced law in Boston for 45 years until his retirement in 1999. Frank was a criminal defense attorney of some renown, with a highly personal and unique courtroom style, which he brought to all of the courts of the commonwealth and federal courts in New England and throughout the U.S. He was especially proud that, during his career, he tried more than 40 first-degree murder cases and that his son and a grandson followed his path into a career in the law.
A respected member of Alcoholics Anonymous of long standing, attaining sobriety in 1970, he was a cofounder and charter member of Lawyers Concerned with Lawyers, a service organization he started with other recovering lawyers and judges to assist Massachusetts lawyers afflicted by alcoholism and substance abuse issues. LCL later served as the model for similar lawyer assistance programs throughout the country. Frank helped hundreds if not thousands of alcoholics in their efforts to get sober and became the living embodiment of the central principle of AA: "Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Throughout his sobriety and well into his retirement, Frank K. was active in Alcoholics Anonymous in Seacoast Maine communities, serving in many positions of trust and always dispensing his special brand of wisdom and humor.
Frank is survived by his devoted wife of 37 years, Janice (Martin) Kelleher; his children Margaret Ann Kelleher Alcain and her husband Robert of Molokai'i, Hawaii, Mary Ellen DeVirgilio, and Karen K. Mason and her husband George, both of York, Francis G. Kelleher of Cape Neddick and Jennifer Lynn Kelleher of York, and seven grandsons, Dylan Crawford and Francis Alcain of Hilo, Hawaii, Joseph DeVirgilio of Dover, N.H., and Tom DeVirgilio of York, Sam and Stuart Mason, both of York, and Timothy Kelleher of Cape Neddick. Frank is also survived by his first wife, Anne Choate, the mother of his children Margaret Ann, Mary Ellen, Karen and Frank.
Frank was predeceased by his grandson Forrest Alcain of Molokai'i, Hawaii.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 14 in St. Christopher's Church, York, with burial in the First Parish Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one's choice. Visit www.lucaseatonfuneralhome.com.
Frances Mack
WELLS - Frances R. Mack, 86, of 240 Island Beach Road, Drakes Island, and a longtime resident of Lowell, Mass., died Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at Sentry Hill in York Harbor.
She was born Dec. 16, 1921, in Lowell, Mass., daughter of Walter B. and Florence (Trask) Reilly. She graduated from the Edgewood Park Junior College and Boston University School of Music and was a featured soloist with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. She studied music in New York with famed duo pianists Luboshutz and Nemenoff. She was the first women to play the organ in St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, Italy. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church, Lowell, and the organist for over 25 years. She drove a Red Cross ambulance during WWII. She was a member of the Paint and Powder club in Lowell and was a volunteer at St. John's Hospital in Lowell. In her life she was an avid swimmer, skier and tennis player.
Her husband of 34 years, Walter E. Mack, died in 1986.
She leaves a son, Walter E. "Sandy" Mack, Jr., and his wife Krista of Minersville, Pa.; three daughters, Elizabeth Mack Winger and her husband James of Londonderry, N.H., Maryfrances "Cookie" Mack and her fiancé Leon J. LeBlanc of Wells, and Susan A. Mack of Saco; two brothers, Walter B. Reilly of Westford, Mass., and Henry T. Reilly of Montgomery Center, Vt.; two grandchildren, Walter E. Mack III and Eric J. Winger, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 15 in the Immaculate Conception Church, 145 East Merrimack St., Lowell. Burial will be private in St. Mary's Cemetery in the spring. Memorial contributions may be made to Sentry Hill Musical Activities Fund, Two Victoria Court, York Harbor, ME 03911 or to The Animal Welfare Society, Old Holland Road, West Kennebunk, ME 04094. Visit http://www.lucaseatonfuneralhome.com/.
Virginia Smith
YORK HARBOR - Virginia W. Smith, 99, of Two Victoria Court, died Friday, March 7, 2008, in York Hospital.
She was born Oct. 15, 1908, in Franklin, N.H., daughter of Oscar H. and Sarah (Waddell) Woodward, Sr.
She was raised in the Concord, N.H., area and attended Concord High School before graduating from Simmons College in 1930. She served as a librarian in the Hartford and New Britain, Conn., area for many years. She was an avid reader and knitter, making many Christmas stockings, hats and mittens for her beloved family.
Her husband, George M. Smith, died in 1977.
She is survived by Jean Collins Smith, who lived with the family in her younger years, and many nieces and nephews and their families.
Three brothers, Douglas Woodward, Richard Woodward and Oscar H. Woodward, Jr., predeceased her.
A memorial service for Virginia will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, in the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, www.lucaseatonfuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice.
