PORTLAND – Laura M. Hodgkin, 87, of Cape Elizabeth, died Saturday, March 18, in Portland.

She was born March 25, 1918, on Additon Hill in Leeds, the daughter of Charles and Louise (Additon) Meade. She graduated from Patten Grammar School in Greene and attended Lewiston High School her freshman year, then graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn in 1935.

After her marriage to Clayton P. Hodgkin on Dec. 25, 1937, and until recently, she resided on Pleasant Street and Ferry Road, Lewiston. After her husband’s death in 1964, she returned to school and graduated from Bliss Business College, Lewiston, in 1967.

She was a partner in C.P. Hodgkin’s Dairy and held office positions at B. Peck Co., Standard Cosmetics and E.A. Buschmann Inc. She also served as an election clerk for the city of Lewiston for 35 years.

She was a reading tutor in the Literacy Volunteers program. She was a member of the United Baptist Church of Lewiston, the Lewiston Historical Commission, the Maine and National 1918 Club and the Society of Mayflower Descendants.

She was an active member of the Grange, first of Auburn Grange, then of Lewiston Grange, (where she was matron of the Juvenile Grange) and then of Pine Tree Grange of Lisbon, where she held several offices. She was reporter for the Maine Granger for seven years. She also held long-time memberships in county, state and national Granges.

She held the position of treasurer in the Androscoggin Organic Gardeners and in the Androscoggin Republican Women’s Club for several years each. She also was a past treasurer and president of both the local and state Gold Star Mothers organizations.

Her hobbies were gardening and traveling. She enjoyed attending several Elderhostels, as well as Gold Star Mother and 1918 Club national conventions. She made several trips across the United States and Canada by bus, train and plane. She toured Alaska by Winnebago, visited the British Isles and Europe and toured New Zealand by bus, train and boat.

Survivors include three brothers, Harold Meade of Bridgton, Arland Meade and wife, Beth, of Bartow, Fla., and Russell Meade of Newbury, Mass.; two sisters, Hazel Rathbun of Mt. Arlington, N.J., and Aletha Blackmore of Auburn; three sons, Douglas Hodgkin and wife, Phyllis, of Lewiston, Brian Hodgkin and wife, Margery, of Gorham, and Clyde Hodgkin and wife, Elise, of Yarmouth; one daughter, Mary Hodgkin and her husband, Thomas Dunne, of Cape Elizabeth; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and two more on the way; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband; and by two sons, Keith, 6, in an automobile accident and Forest, 22, as a Vietnam War casualty.

Copy the Story Link