Douglas R. Cushing

Douglas R. Cushing, 82, of New Harbor died on July 13, 2009. He was the son of Jeanette (McLain) and Ernest Cushing.

Doug was born on December 21, 1926. He married Joan (Huntley) on July 31, 1946. They would have celebrated their 63^rd anniversary later this month.

Doug was a life-long fisherman hanging up his oilskins reluctantly at the age of 78. He loved packing up the family for Sunday drives that miraculously always seemed to lead to a car race on a track somewhere in the state. In retirement much of Doug’s time was spent maintaining his spotless vehicle and vintage lawn equipment.

Surviving are his son George and his wife Sheri of Whitefield, his daughter Marynette Pinkham and her husband Duane of Boothbay Harbor, and his doting granddaughter Kristi Poole (also of Boothbay Harbor), and his brother Howard Cushing of New Harbor, along with several nieces and nephews. His wife Joan predeceased Doug in February of this year.

To honor his memory, and in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice.

Prudence Howard Straight

Prudence Howard Straight of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, formerly of Boothbay Harbor, died Feb. 13. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Sept. 29, 1941, the daughter of Hugh and Helen Howard.

A graveside service will be held on Sat., August 1 at 10:30 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery on the Barters Island Road in Boothbay. Reverend Lisa Burger will officiate.

She is survived by two children, Prudence H. Grubb of Waldoboro, and James A Henderson of Suffield, Connecticut, eight grandchildren including Keshia Young, Alissa Young, Nolan Grubb, Logan Grubb, Mattea Grubb, Samual Henderson, Jack Henderson, and Maxwell Henderson. She is also survived by her great-grandson, Marshall Sawyer, and her four brothers, including Wyman Howard, Curtis Howard, Evans Howard, and John Howard.

Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay, ME.

Ernestine C. Johnson

Ernestine Carver Johnson, 91, died peacefully at St. Andrews Village on Tuesday, July 14. She was predeceased by her husband of over 63 years, Richard Wiggin "Dick" Johnson. Dick and Ernestine lived on Landing Road, Southport for over 30 years where they enjoyed a very active social life.

Ernestine was born in Vinalhaven on October 13, 1917. She was the daughter of James Herbert and Jeannette Glidden Carver of Vinalhaven. She grew up and attended school there before graduating from the University of Maine at Orono with the class of 1941. Her first job was with the U of M Extension Service in Farmington, where Ernestine and Dick were fixed up on a blind date.

Ernestine and Dick were married on Vinalhaven Island on January 16, 1943 just before Dick was deployed overseas as a pilot with the USAAF. Before moving to Southport, Dick and Ernestine had lived in Marblehead and Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Ernestine taught school in Burlington, Massachusetts for many years and had received her M.A. from Salem State College.

Ernestine and Dick Johnson were both involved in many local community groups including the Downeast Yacht Club, The Boothbay Region YMCA, The Boothbay Region Art Foundation, the Southport Memorial Library, Hare and Hounds among some. Ernestine will be remembered for her dry Maine wit, her love of pigs and her scrumptious pies.

Ernestine is survived by her two children, Richard Carver Johnson of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Elizabeth Johnson Shay of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts as well as two grandsons, Maxwell Carver Shay and Ian Hadley Shay.

A private family memorial will take place in the Fall.

Donations in Ernestine’s memory may be made to the Southport Memorial Library, 1032 Hendricks Hill Road, Newagen, Maine 04576.

Arrangements are in the care of Simmons, Harrington and Hall Funeral Home of Boothbay.

Albert B. Westhaver

Albert B. Westhaver, 49, of Bristol, passed away unexpectedly on July 17, 2009.

He was born on October 19, 1959, and was a 1978 graduate of Lincoln Academy.  He enjoyed racing at Wiscasset Speedway and being on the water as a self-employed fisherman on his fishing boat, the Mistress. His son Jesse worked with him as his sternman. His son Jeremy enjoyed spending time with his father on the boat from a very young age, and grew up to be a fisherman himself.

Albert had spent time cutting wood in previous years, and also enjoyed snowplowing with his brother-in- law.  He enjoyed comedy of any kind.

He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Karen;  two sons, Jesse Albert Westhaver and companion, Jessica Beaumont, and Jeremy Benjamin Westhaver and companion, Brynne Hanna, both of Bristol;  his father, Gordon F. Westhaver of North Carolina;  two sisters, Teri Reiling and her husband Jim of Texas, and Debbie Fortier and her husband Rick of Bristol;  one brother, Brian Westhaver and his wife, Kelsey of Nobleboro; father and mother-in-law, Roy and Sandra Griffin of Bristol, who he spent a lot of time with;  several brothers and sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. 

He was predeceased by his mother, Gloria L. Westhaver, as well as a brother, Paul Frederick Westhaver.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bristol First Responders, 104 South Side Road, New Harbor, ME 04554.

A memorial service will be held at Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main Street, Damariscotta on Friday, July 24, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.

Condolonces for the family may be expressed at: www.stronghancock. com.

Adelbert Richardson

Adelbert "Del" Winfield Richardson, 83, of Dyer’s Cove on Great Island in Harpswell died on July 14, 2009 following a brief illness.  He was surrounded by loving family.  Del was born to Warren and Irene (Pinkham) Richardson on January 27, 1926.

Del spent his entire life on, or near, the ocean as a true Maine fisherman. Among other jobs, he was a lobsterman, a tuna fisherman, and a charter boat captain. When he was young, he attended school on Bailey Island and cared for his maternal grandmother. He served in the U.S. Army as an infantryman in the 1940s. He loved hunting, sport fishing, playing horseshoes, listening to and playing country music, telling stories, playing cards, and spending time with his family.

He was predeceased by: his parents; his loving wife, Geraldine (Rankins) Richardson of Dyer’s Cove;  daughter, Irene (Richardson) Brown of Auburn; daughter-in-law, Doreen (White) Richardson of Brunswick; and daughter, Denise (Tisdale) Pinkham of Arrowsic.

He is survived by: loving companion, Anita Violette of Harps-well; a brother, Arthur Richardson of Boothbay; a sister, Mary (Richardson) Paquin of Bath; sons, Rodney Richardson of Brunswick;  Adelbert "Squeak" Richardson and wife, Gail, of Brunswick; Nye Richardson of Bailey Island; and Greg Tisdale and wife, Jenny, of Dyer’s Cove on Great Island;  daughters, Deborah (Tisdale) Viens and husband, Brian, of Augusta; and  Lillian (Violette) Kelley and husband, George, of Canaan and her brother, Linwood  Violette and wife, Ruth, of Hartland; and his former wife, Leoline (Moody) Morgan;  numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, many other family members, and friends.

As Del requested, his life will be celebrated with a personal memorial gathering at his home on Dyer’s Cove at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department (CHVFD) at 907 Cundy’s Harbor Road, Harpswell, Maine  04079. Online condolences may be made at www.directcremationofmaine.com.

Martha S. Grossi

Martha Seymour Grossi died June 23 after a brief illness.

She was born in New Rochelle, New York on December 13, 1914 to Martha Rheinfrank and Alexander Duncan Seymour, an architect and later a professor of architecture at Cornell University.

Mrs. Grossi graduated from Wellesley College in 1936 and received a master’s degree in social work from Simmons School of Social Work in 1939. She trained at Boston Hospital in its neurology department and later worked for the State Charities Aid in New York City. During World War II, she provided volunteer services as a case worker.

Mrs. Grossi married Olindo Grossi, also an architect, on September 26, 1940. They resided during most of the 62 years of their married life in Manhasset, Long Island, N.Y. where she was active in many organizations. As a member of the League of Women Voters, she developed an expertise in international relations and trade. She was in regular attendance every year since sometime in the 1950s at the luncheon series sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association. In fact, they had recently given her a complementary membership in recognition of the length of her tenure. She was a member of the United Nations Association and served as president of the North Shore chapter. She also taught Sunday school at the Congregational Church in Man-hasset. Later, she was a member of the church’s task force that was organized to resettle a Lao family of refugees.

Mrs. Grossi supported many causes by joining organizations and providing financial support. She worked with peace groups in church organizations and was a member of the Hunger Task Force Association and Bread for the World. She was very concerned about the environment and regularly supported Environmental Defense. She wrote her senators, her congressman and the President, and tried to encourage others to take political action. She also regularly visited a nursing home once a week in neighboring Port Washington to provide some company to lonely people there.

Mrs. Grossi loved to travel and welcomed the many opportunities her husband provided for travel in connection with his academic work. They took an extended trip around the world, and later traveled to many countries in Africa and Latin America, and, in for a number of years, to Rome each summer with Mr. Grossi’s architectural students. At the age of 90, with determination, joy and the support of her family, she returned to Rome for another visit. Mrs. Grossi also made annual trips to Colorado to ski with her sons, John and Thomas Grossi, until she was well into her 70s.

Beginning in 1946, when her parents purchased a summer cottage in Boothbay, Mrs. Grossi began spending her summers with her husband and children in Trevett. Tennis, boating and island picnics were the activities she enjoyed there. She was looking forward eagerly to returning to Maine in June when illness struck.

In addition to her sons, John and Thomas, she is survived by her daughter, Susan Grossi Forsyth; her daughter-in-law, Colleen Deegan Grossi; her son-in-law, Allan Forsyth; and four grandchildren, Sage L. Grossi, Garrett T. Grossi, Katherine M. Forsyth and Andrew S. Forsyth.

The family is planning a gathering in celebration of her life to take place in Maine in August.