CARIBOU, Maine — The VFW’s parking lot was packed full of cars last Saturday night, as the friends and family of Marie “Lucy” Haney came together to raise money for her ongoing terminal cancer treatment. Some traveled from out of state to visit and contribute to Haney at the VFW, where a spaghetti supper was prepared, raffles took place, and live music entertained guests.
Haney’s son Nate and his girlfriend Stephanie Kelley have played a significant role in organizing the event. They planned this silent auction and benefit supper roughly a month and a half ago, when Lucy was first diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“From there, it just spiraled and it just kept going,” said Nate. “Everybody wanted to help and lend a hand. My mother is known by nearly everybody up here and has lived on the Madawaska Road for over 60 years. It’s overwhelming how many people we see out there. Some of the crowd is from St. Agatha and St. Francis, because my mother came from St. Francis.”
All five of Haney’s children say that their mother is an incredibly hard worker, and that she would lend a hand to anybody in the community.
“She had little side jobs here and there, I think she worked for Bell’s store, and then she married my father and they moved out of Woodland. Once my father went to work for George and Carol Kelley, they lived on the Madawaska Road for the rest of their lives.”
Lucy has been living by herself for roughly 10 years since her husband Calvin passed away, but Nate says that has not slowed her down.
“She’s been taking care of herself for years,” said Nate. “You couldn’t stop her. She’s always helped people. That’s how people know her. Everyone had a hard life on the Madawaska Road, and that’s how it was in the old days. We all helped each other.”
Lucy is currently living with Nate and Stephanie, who are taking care of her.
“The boys are always there. People are always coming in to visit her, and she likes that” said Nate. “She’s a tough woman, especially for putting up with us kids”
Lucy’s daughter Nancy DeGraves recalls a moment from her childhood when her three brothers built a tire swing in their backyard.
“Mike and Nate got on the swing,” said DeGraves, “and as big as they were at the time, I told my mom it should hold me. I got into the tire swing and mom gave me a push. I remember going up one time, and then it broke. I don’t remember anything after that, except mom telling me to stand up. I crawled all the way back to the big cement step. I lost consciousness, but I was still functioning.
“Mom would always make macaroni with tomato, potatoes, and onions, which I would always push to the side because I hated cooked onions and tomatoes. So when she made that my Dad told her I was fine, and that was one good memory because my Mom was laughing the whole time,” she added.
“One of our neighbors got hurt on Christmas Eve one year,” said DeGraves. “A forklift took his head and crushed it into the cement. His family thought they were going to lose him. He turned out all right, but Mom went around to all of the neighbors and collected for him because he had to re-learn everything. She put up a collection and visited everyone she could think of on the Madawaska Road. There was nobody on that road who didn’t know who we were because of my Mom and Dad. We’d go trick or treating and when people found out who our parents were, they’d give us extra candy.”DeGraves adds that her mother Lucy was well-known by everyone in the community for her work ethic and kindness.
Lucy’s son Mike talked about the work he and his siblings did with their mother during childhood.
“When we were kids we used to pick potatoes with Mom,” said Mike. “Back then, we’d put the potatoes on a stick and whip them across the field. My Dad told us not to throw potatoes because we could poke out an eye. Nate, being the instigator that he is, threw a potato at me while Mom was between us. I went to throw one back at him, but it wouldn’t come off the stick. The second time I tried, I whipped it off the stick but Mom backed up at the wrong time and the potato knocked her off her feet. She sent me home and said she’d let Dad deal with us. We ended up with a spanking and getting grounded for two weeks.”
Mike’s brother Harold was also impressed with his mother’s work ethic.
“She always worked hard,” said Harold. “She always kept up with us kids and kept the meals on the table. When we were younger, Mom would pick over 100 barrels of potatoes a day. Us kids would get would get 10 or 15 while she’d pick 110 or 115. It was a daily thing for her. Plus, she tended to her garden, which fed all of us for the winter.”
Lucy’s daughter Lynn Haney Cray sat by the door and collected donations from guests, and fondly remembers her mother’s Saturday routine.
“We’d wake up to the smell of homemade bread baking on Saturday mornings,” said Lynn. “It was a day that we’d clean the house. Mom would bake beans and make potato salad and hot dogs. Most Saturday nights, there would be card games. There are many memories of Mom, but I think those are my favorite.”
Those interested in donating can contact Crown of Maine Sanitation at 498-2586 and ask for Nate Haney or contact Lynn Haney Cray at 493-3662.
