MINOT – Edith May Trafford, 90, passed away on Thursday, March 2, at the home of her very special care givers, Robert and Connie Labbe of 567 Woodman Hill Road.

She was born in Poland on Oct. 22, 1915, to Roy Melvin McCleary and Edith May Lewis.

She got her schooling and much good advice from her teacher Georgia McKnight in the one-room school on Empire Road.

On July 22, 1930, she married Donald W. Trafford and together they had five children.

Edith worked at the Pond’s Tissue Co. in Mechanic Falls. She was an Avon representative for a few years and then she worked at Gould and Scammon in the packing room until her retirement.

Her life’s work was making a home for her five children. She loved her flower gardens. Many neighbors and friends enjoyed the lupines that bloomed beautifully in the spring. She loved to go fishing with anyone who would take her along. She also loved camping trips with Lois and Dennis in Minnesota and special vacations with Joe and Ruth to Florida. Fiddleheading was so much fun. She would get into the canoe with Jim and Marcia and up the Little Androscoggin they would go. Just once she nearly flipped the canoe. Blueberrying was one of the hardest hobbies for her to give up. She and Bea were still picking more than a hundred quarts a year up until 2002. She spent many hours making bead ornaments and plant hangers with Fay.

To sustain her family through those tough years, she did lots of home canning, knitting and crocheting. Each of her children and grandchildren has a beautiful afghan that she crocheted for them.

After retirement she baked pies and cakes for her granddaughter Terry and Rick’s restaurant. “Gram” was always ready to give a helping hand to any of the children who might need it. After the children were grown and married she was able to take many trips with her brothers and sisters and some memorable ones with her children.

Edith will be dearly missed by her children, Beatrice Bouffard of Lewiston, Maitland Trafford and Charlene Teras of Gray, Lois Oberg, Marcia Cavers and her husband, Jim, and Fay Watson, all of Poland;

Grandchildren, Nancy Lewis and her husband, Dan, of Vermont, William Bouffard of Monmouth, Theresa Scalia and her husband, Rick, of Monmouth, Bruce Trafford and his wife, Jamie, of Gray, Karen Trafford and Tom Thompson of Gray, Ernest Trafford, Melody Olson and her husband, Brent, Penny Winter and her husband, Ronald, Terrence Oberg and his wife, Jacqueline, all of Minnesota, Diana St. Hilaire and her husband, Larry, of Auburn, Lori Trundy and her husband, Dean, of Hebron, William Cavers and his wife, Tammy, of Poland, Norman Watson and his wife, Betina, of New York, Candy Bishop and John Braida of Hiram, Jesse Watson, and Ray Watson and his wife, Karen, of New York;

Great-grandchildren, Jessica and Shelley Scalia, Jake Ledue, Kourtney and Adam Trafford, April Kuntz and her husband, Eric, Amy Olson, Dustin Henschal and his wife, Amber, Darcy Hill and her husband, Jeremy, Daniel Henschal, Matthew, Delray, Jessica and Dennis Oberg, Heather Tripp and her husband, Kenneth, Ashley St. Pierre and her husband, Jeffrey, and Lyndsey St. Hilaire, Dillon Trundy, Nathan Cavers, Christopher, Patrick, Daniel and Timo Watson, Octavia and Casey Bishop, Adam Barber, Ray and John Watson; great-great-grandchildren, Wesley and Austin Kuntz, Harmonie Olson, Allison Henschal, Jordan Hill, Logan Tripp and Xander St. Pierre.

She is also survived by her brother, Charlie McCleary, and Elva Beckwith of Poland; step-sisters-in-law, Muriel Trafford and Virginia Trafford; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, her step-mother Ethel McCleary; sisters, Pearl LaPointe and her husband, Ivan, and Frances McCleary; brother, Aubrey McCleary and his wife, Helen; sister-in-law, Priscilla McCleary; step-sisters, Helen Gates and her husbands Merrill and Leland, and Verna Tame and her husband, Verne; stepbrothers Raymond, Aubrey and his wife Barbara and Charlie Trafford; sons-in-law, James Bouffard and Dennis Oberg; and a daughter-in-law, Ruth Trafford.

Our family would like to thank Bob and Connie Labbe for their loving care during the last year of our mom’s life. Also, we deeply appreciate the care and support of Androscoggin Home Health, with special thanks to her nurse Deborah Crump.

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