FREEPORT — Helvi Piirainen Smith, 85, of Norway, died peacefully at the Hawthorne House, after a long and progressive illness on Friday, Nov. 26.

A resident of the Norway- Paris area, she was born in West Paris, Dec. 9, 1924, the daughter of Finnish immigrants, Kalle and Ella (Niskanen) Piirainen. She was educated in Oxford schools.

She was one of three children. Her two twin bothers, Walter and Antti Piirainen, both died tragically at very early ages.

Helvi worked at Wilner Wood Products, Cornwall’s and the Norway Shoe Shop, until she retired at the age of 62. She was a long-time member of the Finnish-American Heritage Society in West Paris. After retiring, she spent her time visiting the Market Square Nursing Home, visiting her family and traveling with friends on Maine Line Tours. She twice traveled to Finland to visit relatives and friends, trips that were the highlights of her life.

She was a hard worker, a dedicated friend and a person who loved her family and her heritage. She had a tremendous sense of humor and was loved by all her life  touched. She moved from the Oxford Hills area to Brunswick in 2006 to be closer to her only child, her son, Brian. During the past two years, she was a resident at Dionne Commons, which is an assisted living facility in Brunswick.

She was married to Stanley T. Smith, who passed away in 1977. She is survived by her son, Brian and daughter-in-law, Tricia Smith, of Brunswick; grandson, Mark Brian Smith of West Hollywood, Calif.; granddaughter, Shelby Kavanaugh and her great-grandson, Will Kavanaugh of Topsham; two stepchildren, Ivan Smith of Orlando, Fla., and Sandra Jacobsen of Crivitz, Wis.; as well as several stepnieces and nephews, stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren.

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