Today, Aug. 24, 2021, two days before our 71st anniversary, I lost my beloved Tootie.

Gloria Stella Yeakel Meixell, of Westport Island, Maine, was born March 24, 1929, in Upper Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Stella (Hawk) Yeakel. She and her high school sweetheart, Robert C. Meixell of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, were married Aug. 26, 1950. Wife of a career Navy officer, Gloria lived in Tennessee, Rhode Island, Virginia, Hawaii, and Maine. Gloria was a registered nurse whose career included public health work and hospital nursing in Norfolk, Virginia, and occupational healthcare at Bath Iron Works.

When Robert retired, the family settled on Westport Island, where Gloria and Robert built much of their home themselves. Into their early eighties, Gloria mixed mortar in a wheelbarrow, and Robert laid bricks for the home’s exterior. Gloria collected ornate porcelain bells, and antique hatpins and hatpin holders. Her chocolate chip cookies were legendary, as was her kindness to everyone. Gloria was an avid knitter, logging 13,759 hours (at two hours a day, that’s almost 19 years!) making baby blankets, sweaters, booties, and hats for Navy Relief. She also volunteered for many years helping serve dinner at the Tedford Housing homeless shelter in Brunswick.

Gloria was predeceased by her eleven siblings and her daughter, Katherine Meixell McIntyre.

She is survived by her husband Robert; daughter Barbara (Herb) Sawyer of Pensacola, Florida; sons Robert II (Susan) of Greer, South Carolina, and James (Carolyn Schafer) of Westport Island; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A private family burial will be held at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mt. Vernon Road in Augusta.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, 875 North Randolph St. Suite 225, Arlington, VA 22203; or Tedford Housing, P.O. Box 958, Brunswick, ME 04011.

Arrangements are by Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High Street, Bath, Maine. Condolences may be made online at www.Daiglefuneralhome.com