LIVERMORE FALLS – Hilda Mary Corkum, 88, a resident of Souther Road in Livermore Falls, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 21 at her home, with loving family around her, having persevered for several months, despite limited heart function, enjoying life, family and friends.

She was born in Lawrence, Mass., on March 1, 1917, the daughter of Ernest and Mary Foster Souther. The family moved to Livermore Falls two years later. She graduated from Livermore Falls High School, Class of 1934, where she was active in public speaking and the debating team, and also participated in the Moose Hill World Wide Girls Guild.

On April 4, 1936, she and Edward Lewis Corkum, the son of Herbert and Emma Lewis Corkum, were married and enjoyed 58 years of marriage, until Edward’s passing in 1994. She worked as a clerk in several area stores, also in Farmington and Auburn. She and her husband made their home on High Street in Livermore Falls in 1945, later moving to Auburn in 1988.

After her husband’s death in 1994, she returned to the family farm in Livermore Falls. She was one of the oldest members of the First Baptist Church, having joined in 1931, and also attended the Moose Hill Baptist Church in Livermore Falls. As an active member of the Grange, she was chaplain at the New Norland Grange and Androscoggin Pomona Grange for many years, attaining seventh degree membership in the National Grange and sixth degree in state and fifth degree in Pomona.

She was a member of the Women’s Legislative Council in Augusta. She was also a volunteer hostess at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center in Livermore for over 30 years, as well as a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, serving in various positions for both local and state groups. She was active in No. 6 Rebekah Lodge in Gardiner, a member of the Livermore Falls Women’s Club and the Red Hat Society.

She enjoyed cooking and gardening, and had a great rapport with the many cats around the farm where she lived. She was always expressing love and appreciation for her family and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining family and friends, even with weakening health.

Survivors include a son, Dale E. Corkum and his wife, Pauline, of Clearwater, Fla.; a daughter, Ann B. Corkum Crocker and her husband, Barry, of West Gardiner; brothers, Leroy and Harold Souther of Livermore Falls and Stuart Souther of Naples, Fla.; four grandchildren, Judith Corkum of Sabattus, Barry Corkum of Monmouth, Michael Crocker and his wife, Terri, of Bath and Laura Crocker Lindsay and her husband, Jon, of West Lebanon, N.H.; great-grandchildren, Brandon Corkum, Joshua Crocker, Kordell Lindsay, Grace Lindsay, Ella Lindsay and Kaye Lindsay; and many nieces and nephews.