1931 – 2003

FARMINGTON – Florence Abigail Anderson Ouellette, known to all as Gail, died at the Sandy River Center for Health Care in Farmington, on Oct. 1, at 72 years, six months and 11 days.

“Gail” was born at the Park Slope Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., March 20, 1931, the second child of S. William and Florence Voter Anderson (later Mrs. Edward W. Jackson).

She attended school at Forest Hills in New York City and was a graduate of Forest Hills High School Class of 1949. She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1953.

She taught home economics and other subjects at Unity High School and Wilton Academy. She was Franklin County Head Start director at Western Maine Community Action Council, East Wilton, from Sept. 1, 1966 to Aug. 23, 1993, more than 27 years. She coordinated the federally-funded Head Start preschool centers in Phillips, Strong, Wilton, Kingfield, Jay and Farmington, all in Franklin County.

She served seven years, 1985-1992, on the Board of Trustees of Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. She was a member of the Colonial Daughters Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Farmington through her forebear Peter Norton, High Sheriff, during the American Revolution. She was a member of the Red Hatters of New Vineyard. She was constituent of the Old South Congregational Church in Farmington. In retirement she traveled widely, from Hawaii to Europe.

Shortly after she was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer she moved to Sandy River Center for Health Care in Farmington. Many, many, friends visited her there, especially Millard S. “Sonny” Parlin Jr. of New Vineyard, a longtime family friend.

She leaves her daughter, Rebecca J. Wetherbee and her husband, Paul and grandchildren, Kathryn J. Wetherbee, 15, and William P. Wetherbee, 11, all of Veazie, near Bangor; a brother, the Rev. Dr. Sherwood W. Anderson and his wife, Mary Elizabeth of New Vineyard and Winter Park, Fla.; a nephew and niece, David Turner Anderson, his wife, Patricia and baby grandniece, Sophia Elizabeth of Boca Raton, Fla.; her niece, Bethany Anderson lives in Atlanta, Ga.