NORTH Livermore – Billie Gammon, 92, the founder of Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, died Sunday morning, Jan. 11, at her home in North Livermore village.

She was born July 31, 1916, in Augusta, the daughter of Howard G. and Mable Searle Wilson. Though named Ethel Searle Wilson, she has been known throughout her life as “Billie.” She grew up in North Augusta and Nictaux, Nova Scotia.

Billie graduated from Augusta’s Cony High School in 1932, at the age of 15, and two years later from Washington State Normal School (now the University of Maine at Machias). She was an elementary teacher in Parkman, Livermore and Augusta.

On June 21, 1938, Billie married Alfred Quimby Gammon of Livermore Falls. Together, Billie and Alfred converted a North Livermore carriage house into their home. In summer months, they could be found sailing the coast in their sailboat “Sweet Dream.”

A member of the North Livermore Baptist Church, she taught third grade Sunday school for 23 years, served as senior BYF (Baptist Youth Fellowship) advisor for 10 years, and was one of two “den mothers” to the senior adult group that she was instrumental in starting. She was a Girl Scout leader, and served on the State Department of Educational Ministries for American Baptist Churches for more than a dozen years.

In addition, Billie helped start and operate the North Livermore Reading Club Library. It was in the summer of 1954, that she began her work at the Norlands, opening the library to visitors one afternoon a week. From that humble beginning, she had a dream and the result was the founding of the Washburn-Norlands Foundation in 1974.

On her 75th birthday, in 1991, she resigned as executive director of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. She was back in 1996 for a term as interim director. It was through her efforts that the Washburn Humanities Center at the Norlands was developed with its inauguration in 1992. In the fall of 2008, she resigned after serving many years as the editor of the Maine Association of Museums’ newsletter. In 1974, she graduated from the University of Maine, Farmington, and received her masters degree in Education in 1975, from the University of Maine, Portland-Gorham. In addition, she received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Maine, Farmington.

She was honored with many prestigious awards including the Distinguished Achievement Award, UM, Farmington; Distinguished Alumni Award, UMM; Jefferson Award in 1983; Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize.

In addition, she was inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 1990, was a guest of Barbara Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House for the Points of Light.

She was also a recipient of the 1999 Deborah Morton Award at a ceremony at the University of New England.

She is survived by a daughter, Nancy Lee Wakefield, and her husband, John, of Livermore; a son, Michael G. Gammon of Livermore; a granddaughter, Betsy Wakefield and her husband, Kevin Rouleau, of South Portland; a grandson, Jonathan D. Wakefield and his fiancée, Melissa Morneau, of Rangeley; grandson-in-law, Steven P. Stout of Cape Elizabeth; grandson, William M. Gammon and his wife, Tracy, of Livermore; four great-grandchildren, Samuel Wakefield Stout of Cape Elizabeth, Logan Xander Buker and Olivia Darcy Wakefield of Rangeley and Tyler Cooper Gammon of Livermore; her sister, Effie Nichols of Augusta; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Alfred Q. Gammon, on Feb. 1, 1985; and her granddaughter, Darcy Gammon Wakefield, on Dec. 10, 2005.