NORWAY – Fay Helena Morgan Holt of Greenwood died May 21 at Stephens Memorial Hospital. She had spent her last day in the room at the farm in Greenwood City, where she was born May 7, 1918, the daughter of Robert and Olive Morgan.

She attended the Greenwood City elementary school, being taught by her sister-in-law, Colista Morgan. She graduated in 1936 from West Paris High School as salutatorian of her class. Although she had received a full scholarship to Bates College, she returned to the farm to help her father and brother as her mother had passed away when Fay was 13. She met Leonas Holt at a Norway Grange Hall dance and they were married June 20, 1942. Together they raised three children.

She enjoyed participating in activities through the Oxford County Extension Service, where she learned to sew. She and her daughter spent many hours selecting cloth at the Oxford Mill End store and Newberry’s basement. She was an avid gardener and all who passed by the farm enjoyed her flower gardens.

She was a self-taught artist, and painting became a passion. Being a wonderful cook, her Sunday dinners through the years were a family tradition. Her bread and yeast rolls were legendary. She enjoyed reading, photography and hiking with her friends, Colista Morgan and Ruth Hastings. She served on the committee that established SAD 44.

For many years, beginning in 1975, she participated in a research project in Boston at the Massachusetts Ear and Eye Institute. The purpose was to develop a cure for the genetic eye disease that she had inherited. Although this was successful, she did eventually lose her sight due to macular degeneration.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 67 years, Leonas of Greenwood; son, Robert and wife, Jeri, and their children, Daniel, Richard and Jenny of Windsor; son, David and wife, Sally, of Norway and their daughter, Mary of Boston; daughter, Ann and husband, Bradley, of Greenwood; three sisters-in-law, Anna Woodworth and Dolly Verrill of South Paris and Edith Gardner of Norway.

She was recently predeceased by her favorite cousin, Madge Bland of Norwich, Conn.


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