1923 – 2013

AUBURN — Louisa S. Russell, affectionately known as “Mea,” 90, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 24, surrounded by her loving family at the Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice in Auburn.

She worked for 41 years at the Bates Mill as a cutter. Mea was an avid outdoorswoman; her favorite activities included hunting, swimming, nature walks and spending time with her great-great-grandchildren. Her most treasured memories were time spent with the late Frank Driscoll; they enjoyed traveling together in various locations of the U.S., including Florida and Texas, and visiting various Cherokee nations. The Great Smokey Mountains was where she found her true paradise.

Mea was born in Greene on May 16, 1923, to Ernest and Mildred Sousa. She will be truly missed by her family. Four generations of two children and their families succeed her. One son, Adrien Lachapelle and wife, Sandra, of Michigan; two granddaughters, Kathleen and one great-grandson, Roy and wife, Corey, and one great-great-grandson, Jackson, and Cheri and her husband, Frank, and two great-granddaughters, Ashley and Kelsey; one grandson, Michael and wife, Terri, and great-grandchildren, Katie and husband, David, and Brandon. One daughter, Diana Gagnon of Auburn; two granddaughters, Theresa and one great-grandson, Adrien “A.J.,” and Tammie and two great-grandsons, Darren and Daniel, and five great-great-grandchildren, Emileigh Ann, Daniel Jr., Devon, Triston and Savannah, and one great-granddaughter, Diana and husband, Eric, and four great-great-grandsons, Christopher, Joshua, Ryan and Jacob.

She is survived by two brothers, Albert Fournier and wife, Terry, of Connecticut and Norman Fournier of Arizona; two sisters, Virginia Davis and husband, Claude, of North Carolina and Isabel Mosher of Michigan; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her parents, Ernest and Mildred Sousa; three brothers, Ernest Jr., John and Robert; a son-in-law, Laurent “Larry” Gagnon; and two grandsons-in-law, John Athanasiou and Edward Marsh.

The family would like to extend a warm thank-you for the compassionate care given to Mea by the staff at the Hospice House and d’Youville Pavilion.