1920 – 2014

AUGUSTA — Eloise Dumais Gravel, 93, born to Laura and Ernest “Pete” Dumais, on Oct. 27, 1920, died peacefully with her family at her bedside on Saturday, April 26.

A lifelong resident of Livermore Falls, she lived within four houses of her birthplace for almost 85 years. Eloise was educated at St. Rose Parochial School, Livermore Falls High School, and Bliss College.

Eloise married her dancing partner, Edward Gravel, in 1944, and they were loving parents to three children. Her husband died in 1970.

She worked as a homemaker, an inspector at Bates Mill in Lewiston, and from 1964 to 1982 as a custodian at IP’s Androscoggin Mill at Jay from which she retired.

As a resident of Livermore Falls, Eloise was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Parish, the Daughters of Isabella, the LF Historical Society and a member of the LF Women’s Club. After retiring from IP, she volunteered at the Livermore Falls Primary School and the Treat Memorial Library.

She spent much of her leisure time playing bridge whenever a game could be rounded up, tending her flower gardens, and watching her favorite Boston sports teams, the Red Sox and Celtics. She knew more about the coming and goings of those two teams than did many TV sports casters. She was a terrific cook and was particularly famous for her fruit pies and pickled beets.

Eloise is survived by her three children, Gregory and wife, Susan, of Venice, Fla., and Monmouth, Veronica Read and husband, Allan, of Skowhegan, and Carol Crocker and husband, Phillip, of Colonia, N.J.; six grandchildren, Christopher and Scott Read, Phillip and Darren Crocker, Brian Gravel and Kathaleen Gravel Barker; 6 great-grandchildren; and two of her seven siblings, Ernestine Ohler of Augusta and Camille Brown of Rio Rancho, N.M.

She was predeceased by her sisters, Annette Hoag and Claire Russell; and brothers Bernard Dumais and Bertrand Dumais.

Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.finleyfuneralhome.com