NORWAY — M. June Duchette, 85, of Norway died July 7, at Stephens Memorial Hospital of a lung disorder.

June was born on Aug. 20, 1924, to the late Frank and Eva (Cooper) Paine. She graduated from Oxford High School in 1941.

She married her high school sweetheart, Wilfred L. Duchette in Mechanic Falls on June 4, 1942. They moved from Oxford to Norway, where with help from their family, they built their own home by hand and resided there for 63 years.

During her life time, she worked for Wilner’s Wood Products, Norway Shoe Shop and Stephens Memorial Hospital, where she retired in 1986. She was a member of St. Catherine of Sienna Church, where she had taught Sunday school and had been a eucharistic minister. She was also a member of the St. Catherine Sodality.

June loved life. She was a very loving, caring and understanding person. Her family was the most important part of her life. She had faith that some day she would be with her loved ones again. Taken from her personal diary: “All in all, I feel that I have had a wonderful life and I thank my God, my parents and grandparents for all that they have instilled in me. As I grow older, I find great comfort in my husband, my children and grandchildren and my church.” June Paine Duchette.

She is survived by her husband, Wilfred; children, Pamela Tikkanen and husband, Glenn, Cheryl Burnham and husband, Guy and David Duchette and wife, Patricia; grandchildren, Nisa Noble, Eric Tikkanen and wife, Melissa, Krista Clay and husband, Gary, Alyssa Morrison and husband, Peter, Denise Eliot Pruett and husband, Jonathan, John Eliot Jr. and wife, Tania, Dawn-Marie Eliot Johnson and husband, Chris, Katharine Duchette and Anna Duchette; great-grandchildren, Tiffany, Travis, DJ Noble, Jordan, Morgan, Alexis Tikkanen, Brieanna, Gary, Kobe Clay, Tres’, Caleb Morrison, Dustin Edwards, Jonny Pruett, Joshua, Makenzie Eliot; great-great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Isabelle Knightly; sisters, Bernice Kane Merrill and Leona Record; too many nieces and nephews to name; and very special brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

She was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Eva Paine; stepfather, Amassa; brothers, Erland, Frank and Donald Paine; and great-great-granddaughter, Gabrielle Eliot.

A special thanks to Stephens Memorial Hospital and their staff for making June comfortable in her final days.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com.

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