AUBURN — Sheila Laurendeau, 83, of Lewiston, died April 9, at the Hospice House of Adroscoggin Home Care and Hospice with her family by her side.

Sheila was born in Albany, N.Y., Aug. 20, 1928, the oldest of three girls and daughter of Sara (Sally) and John McCabe. She grew up in Rumford, R.I., then when she was 17 the family moved to West Barrington, R.I. She graduated from Bayview Academy and attended Edgewood Academy, both in Rhode Island.

On Dec. 26, 1951, she married Frederic Daniel Buttner and they raised their family in Sudbury, Mass. Sheila and Daniel were very athletic, enjoying tennis, hiking, swimming, skiing, and they raised their children to embrace sports as well.

When, after 20 years, the marriage ended, Sheila and her daughters moved to New Hampshire, close to the mountains they loved to ski and hike. Sheila later moved to Sarasota, Fla., to care for her mother. In Florida, she indulged her love of opera and mystery novels. She met Maurice Laurendeau at church in the fall of 1992, and 18 months later they married. Sheila and Maurice spent 18 joyous years together. They continued to be active, enjoying golf, tennis and traveling. They spent many happy days exploring the coves and inlets of Maine’s coastline on their boat. Sheila loved nature and became an avid birder and gardener.

Maurice passed away in December 2011, and a truly bright and beautiful light was lost forever from all who knew him, perhaps especially Sheila. Just a few weeks later, Sheila was diagnosed with cancer.

Sheila is survived by her daughters, Anna Buttner of North Quincy, Mass., and Kathleen Thomas and her husband, Dwight Pfundstein, of Mashpee, Mass., and their son, Erik Pfundstein of Canton, Mass.; her sons, Stephen Buttner of Florida, and Mark Buttner of Arkansas; her stepchildren and their spouses and families, Lorraine Pandolphe and her husband, Tom, of West Hartford, Conn., Normand Laurendeau and his wife, Marlene, of Brunswick and Philippe Laurendeau and his wife, Carol, also of Brunswick; her sisters, Claire Thompson of Athens, Ga., and Patricia Callahan of Newport, R.I.; and their children, to whom Sheila was a loving, devoted aunt.

She will be missed by all, including her large circle of friends.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.thefortingrouplewiston.com.

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