SOUTH PARIS – Lena Mae Buck, 97, formerly of West Paris, died Feb. 22, at the Market Square Health Care Center, following a brief illness.

She was born on the Whitman Farm in Greenwood on Sept. 27, 1907, and was the youngest daughter of Edward and Martha Pike. She was educated in West Paris schools and lived in West Paris for 88 years.

She married Linwood E. Buck of Milton Plantation on Nov. 1, 1927, and lived in the small farm her father built for her on Pioneer Street for 71 years, before moving in with her daughter, Pauline Heikkinen, in Paris Hill in 2002.

She was a homemaker and caretaker of family members all of her adult life. She affectionately loved all her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She loved walking, gardening, and watching wildlife. She was admired for her keen memory and quick-witted responses. Her stories of people and events of her days in Greenwood and West Paris filled many hours.

She is survived by daughters, Pauline and husband, Walter Heikkinen, of Paris Hill, Virginia and husband, John Pinker, of Plymouth, N.H., and Martha and husband, John McCormack, of Oxford; son, Linwood and wife, Roberta, of Fryeburg; daughter-in-law, Janis Buck of West Paris; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren; two great-great-stepgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; husband, Linwood Buck; brother, Eben Pike; sister, Agnes Lowe; two half brothers, Ernest Swan and Archie Swan; two half sisters, Viola Marshall and Minnie Churchill; and one son, Edward Buck.