Josephine Mae (Willett) Gagnon
GAGNON, Josephine Mae (Willett), 87, Presque Isle, at Caribou, April 10, 2014. Interment will be at Fairmount Cemetery later this spring. Arrangements are in care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle.
PRESQUE ISLE – Josephine Mae (Willett) Gagnon, 87, passed away Thursday afternoon, April 10, 2014, surrounded by her family at a Caribou health care facility. She was born on Oct. 23, 1926, in Ashland, the daughter of Merle and Nettie (Stickney) Willett.
Josephine was a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Parish of the Precious Blood. She worked briefly at the Presque Isle Air Base where she met the love of her life, Arsen Gagnon, whom she married on April 6, 1946, he predeceased her on Nov. 2, 1993. She spent her life at home raising her 11 children whom she was so proud of.
Josephine is survived by her 10 children, Jeanette Hafford of Millinocket, Caroline Ford and her husband, Larry of Tenn., Ron Gagnon and his wife, Jen of Lebanon, Gloria Chamberlain and her husband, Joe of Woodland, Brenda Cantonwine and her husband, Cary of Colorado, Joyce Tayler of Daytona, FL, Debi Sowers and her husband, Dave of Mapleton, Bob Gagnon and his wife, Bonnie of Mapleton, Tom Gagnon and his wife, Janet of Mapleton, Sheila Parrish and her husband, James of Augusta; her youngest sister, Carlene Cosgrove of New York, who never misses a holiday card for her big sister, and who will sadly miss Josie; 31 grandchildren and their spouses; 34 great-grandchildren with two on the way; one great-great-grandson; several nieces and nephews; three step-grandsons; and one step-granddaughter.
She was predeceased by her husband; her youngest child, Walt in Nov. 2002; two grandchildren, Maggie and Jason Thompson; her brothers, Normand, Merle, Bob, John, and Emery Willett; sisters, Bernice Purfacato, and Inez Murray.
At the family request, a private funeral service was held at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, 30 Church Street, Presque Isle. Interment will be at Fairmount Cemetery later this spring. Donations may be made in her memory to Aroostook Agency on Aging, 1 Edgemont Drive, Suite 2, Presque Isle, ME 04769. Online condolences may be shared at www.duncan-graves.com.
