1925 – 2014

LEWISTON — Catherine A. Phinney, 88, of Greene and formerly of Lubec, died peacefully and surrounded by family on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Central Maine Medical Center.

Catherine was born on Dec. 30, 1925, the daughter of Charles and Bessie (Matthews) Sprague. At the age of 15, she began working in the fish packing industry in Lubec, packing sardines, cod and herring. She married Alton C. Phinney on March 19, 1946, in Lubec, while he was home on leave from the U.S. Army. They started a family in Lubec and moved to Greene in 1960. She worked in the laundry facility at Central Maine Medical Center and then did private housekeeping, before retiring.

She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Phinney, of Greene; her son, Quentin Phinney and his wife, Cecile, of Greene; her two grandchildren, Ryan Phinney of Greene and Kristy Phinney of Auburn; and three great-grandchildren, Danica, Brody and Gabriella. Also surviving are one brother, Quentin Sprague, of Massachusetts; two sisters, Lenore “Rudy” Curry of Raymond and Shirley Miller of Lubec.

She was predeceased by her son, Larry; her father, Charles; her brother, Fred; her mother, Bessie; and her brother, Auril. Her beloved husband, Alton, passed away in November 2012.


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