HARRISON – Gloria R. Kaustinen, 81, of Harrison, died Tuesday, Aug. 30, after a brief illness.

She was born in Worcester, Mass., on Dec. 16, 1923, the daughter of Eugene Joseph LeClair and Olga Matilda (Rinne) LeClair.

She married Edward William Kaustinen of Waterford on March 23, 1946, in Worcester, Mass. He died in 1992.

In April 1949, they moved into the old Pembroke farm on Hobbs Hill in Harrison where they lived continuously, except for three years in California.

Mrs. Kaustinen graduated from North High School in Worcester, Mass., and attended Marshall College in West Virginia and Becker Junior College in Worcester, Mass.

She had worked for the Bridgton Knitting Mills, Margo’s Dress shop of Norway, Fitton Hardware in Bridgton as a bookkeeper, Staley Chevrolet in Bridgton as a bookkeeper, and as a realtor with Mainstay Inc. of Bridgton.

Above all activities, Gloria enjoyed reading, and had in later years taken up crossword puzzles.

She had been a Girl Scout and Brownie Scout leader when her daughters were young.

Her family was most important to her and her activities often reflected this side of her.

She loved flowers, sunshine and warm places like California.

She is survived by two daughters, Kristine Kaustinen of Harrison, and Candace Kaustinen of Beverly, Mass.; a grandson, Scott Dickson and his wife, Julie, of California; a brother-in-law, Tauno Kaustinen of California; two sisters-in-law, Jean Mitchell of Arkansas and Kay Kaustinen and her children, Joe and Joyce, of California; nephews, Randy, Brad, Al and David Kaustinen and their families; a niece, Cathy Farber and her family; numerous cousins in Quebec, Canada, Finland and the United States; a cat, Mr. B; and a dog, Loki.