PORTLAND – Avis Wilner Schwartz, 81, of 777 Stevens Ave., Portland, and formerly of Auburn, died Sunday, Oct. 31, at Maine Medical Center following a long illness.

She was born on April 23, 1923, the daughter of Joseph and Ida Traister Wilner. She graduated from Edward Little High School, Class of ’40, and from the University of Maine, Orono, in 1970.

During World War II she served three years as a WAVE in the United States Navy. In 1946, she married Benjamin Schwartz, who died in 1966.

Over the years she had several careers, including working for Wilner Wood Products in Norway, operating a successful catering business, and, for several years, serving as a teacher. She was a longtime Girl Scout Leader, and was very active in the League of Women Voters and Hadassah.

She was the loving mother of three children, Roberta Schwartz Koenig, of Milwaukee, Wisc., Alan Schwartz and wife, Beth, of Hebron, and Betsy Schwartz St. Pierre, of Sarasota, Fla.; she was a doting grandmother to her six grandsons, Ben and Alex Koenig, Drew and Troy St. Pierre, and Aaron and Ryan Schwartz; also surviving are six brothers and sisters, Burton Wilner, of Palm Beach, Fla., Stanley Wilner and Richard Wilner, both of Portland, Elinor W. Goldblatt, of Auburn, June Chason, of McLean, Va., and Ruth Schloss, of Roanoke, Va.

She was predeceased by her brother, Charles P. Wilner.

This loving mother, grandmother, and sister showed indomitable strength and courage during her lifetime, particularly during her lengthy illness.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her, especially by her friends at the Park Danforth Residence in Portland.

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