1904 – 2004

AUBURN – Olga Mikkonen Gellatly, 99, of Auburn and formerly of West Paris, died in Auburn on Feb. 6.

She was born in North Paris on Dec. 3, 1904, the first of five daughters of Elias and Katri Mikkonen. She attended West Paris schools until she left for Boston to study music at the Faelten Pianoforte School. While there, she met classmate Norman Gellatly, born in Scotland, and, graduating together in 1927, they were married in 1930. They lived in Quincy, Mass., and both taught piano in the South Shore area for over 50 years.

Mrs. Gellatly was a member of the Quincy Historical Society, the Quincy Women’s Club and the First Parish Unitarian Church of Quincy. After her and her husband’s virtual retirement in 1982, they moved to West Paris.

She became a member of the West Paris Historical Society, the Finnish-American Heritage Society and the Goodwill Group of the West Paris Universalist Church, where she also served as organist. In her last years, she served as the organist at the Bryant Pond Universalist Church.

Before her husband died, in 1989, they took various trips, visiting different parks in the United States as well as in England and Scotland. While overseas, they also visited with relatives in Scotland and Finland.

She will be missed by many people whose hearts were touched by her enjoyment of life’s simplicity and genuine kindness she bestowed to all. She was an avid reader, loved teaching piano and loved spending time with her great-grandchildren.

She is survived a daughter, Sylvia J. Josephs and her companion, Gil Heikkinen of Surprise, Ariz.; a son, Norman S. Gellatly Jr. and his wife Debora of Auburn with whom Olga had lived; three sisters, Sylvia Wasanen of Florida, Alma Dixon of Norway and Hilma Hudson of South Yarmouth, Mass.; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; as well as a very special friend, Carmen Hadley.

She was predeceased by her husband in 1989; and a sister, Miina Coolidge in 1994.

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