SOUTH PARIS — Sylvia M. Douglass, 86, of South Paris passed away on Feb. 2, peacefully at her home after a long courageous battle with cancer.

She was born in Lovell, Nov. 20, 1924, one of nine children to George and Frances Andrews Mills. She married Herbert Smith in January 1942, they had four children, Faye, Rodney, Eugene and Keith. Herbert died in June of 1946, leaving Sylvia with four small children.

She met Lawrence Douglass in 1947, and married in 1961. He passed away in Feb. 3, 1977. Sylvia was employed at area manufacturing companies, retiring from Miller Shoe in 1994.

She loved baking for family and friends, her specialty was apple pie and breads. Crocheting was her passion. Over the years, she made hundreds of lap robes and donated them to area nursing homes.

She enjoyed camping at Mac’s camping area and playing bingo. She liked to volunteer at Oxford County Extension and the Stephens Memorial Hospital thrift shop. She also enjoyed creating many things from plastic canvas.

She was notorious for making all the Christmas decorations and ornaments for the tree at Rustfield Village, where she had resided for the past 12 years, before moving in with her granddaughter, Kim and her husband, Dean. There she enjoyed being in the gardens, watching the birds and having Dean cook a red dog on the open fire.

At family gatherings, and there were many, Nana was the life of the party. She was proud of her large family.

She is survived by three of her children, Faye MacDonald and husband, Mac, of Poland and Zephyrhills, Fla., Rodney Smith and wife, Lorraine, of River Junction, Vt., and Keith Smith of Dorchester, N.H.; daughter-in-law, Carolee Maselli of Chiefland, Fla.; 12 grandchildren, Scott, Vanessa, Shane, Tammy, Tanya, Todd, Jeff, Gary, Randy, and three special granddaughters, Wanda James of Oxford, Kim Ayotte of South Paris and “her baby,” Candy Meziani of Bridgton; 24 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandsons, Jacen and Jeremiah of Florida, and “her boy,” Lennox of South Paris; and many, many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; a son, Eugene; a brother, Robert; a sister, Josephine; her husband’s Herbert Smith and Lawrence Douglass; and a grandson, Mark Bumpus.

The family would like to extend thanks to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at St. Mary’s Hospital, with special thanks to Melanie. The staff at Oxford Hills Family Practice with special thanks to her friend and longtime doctor, Dr. James Eshleman. Thanks also to Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice for always being there for us.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.

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