RALPHINE CLAUDIA HYSON, KITTERY – Ralphine Claudia Hyson, 82, of Kittery, Maine, went to Heaven on Monday, July 17, 2017, at the Edgewood Centre in Portsmouth, NH, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on January 18, 1935, in Merrill, Maine, daughter of Ralph and Christine Furrow.
Ralphine graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the Farmington State TeachersCollege in Farmington, Maine. She was an exceptional athlete participating in and coaching several sports including volleyball, basketball, softball, and cheerleading. Ralphine taught at the Emery School in Biddeford, Maine from 1956 – 1957, the Ella Burr School in Lincoln, Maine from 1957 – 1960, then went on to become the 7th grade Reading teacher at the Frisbee School in Kittery, Maine from 1960 – 1969, and again from 1971 – 1976, as well as coaching cheerleading. She then moved on to be a permanent substitute teacher at Portsmouth Junior High School from 1981 – 1985. Her final employment before retiring was working as a receptionist for the School for Lifelong Learning, a division of the University of New Hampshire from 1985 – 1991.
Feenie (as she was affectionately known) loved spending time with her family and attending her grandchildren’s sporting events. She also loved to dance and in her earlier years danced with the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Feenie enjoyed playing the piano, listening to music, reading, shopping, and playing card games like Skip-Bo. Feenie had great faith and was very active with the Faith Baptist Church in Kittery, Maine. Throughout her service with the church, she held positions as the president of the Ladies Missionary Fellowship, church clerk, and was a member on several committees.
In November of 2016, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and it was complications from this disease that eventually took her life.
Feenie will be missed by many family members and friends, including those of Faith Baptist Church.
Ralphine was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Ronald T. Hyson. She leaves behind two sons, Ralph and his wife, Becky (Paul) Hyson and their son, Ryan and daughter, Abby and her other son, Mark Hyson and his wife, Laura (French) Hyson and daughters, Katie and Libby. She is survived by her sister, Janet DeFelice of Danville, NH and her family, as well as countless cousins, nieces and nephews.
Father Ralph and mother Christine, sister Peggy and brother Bobby, and other family and friends are awaiting her heavenly arrival.
SERVICES: Visiting hours will be on Friday, August 4, 2017, in the J.S. Pelkey Funeral Home, 125 Old Post Road in Kittery, Maine 03904 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.jspelkeyfuneralhome.com.
The funeral service will be held at the Faith Baptist Church located at 22 Litchfield Road, Kittery, Maine on Saturday, August 5, 2017, at 2:00 PM. Pastors Kauffman and Lloyd will officiate.
The burial will be held at Brooks Cemetery on State Road in Eliot, Maine following the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Faith Baptist Church in Kittery, Maine. Care for the Hyson family has been entrusted to the JS Pelkey Funeral Home.
