Charles Meeks

1936-2015

Charles Meeks, 78, of North Turner, passed on Monday evening, May 4, 2015 at Central Maine Medical Center, Lewiston, with family at his side.

He was born Oct. 3, 1936, in Smith Grove, Kentucky, a son of Garnet and Hattie (Russell) Meeks. He received his education in Kentucky school and was a veteran, having served in the US Navy.

His wife, Rita (Welch) Meeks, was also a US Navy veteran and predeceased him on April 15, 1991.

He was employed as a laborer at Bancroft in Leeds, prior to becoming disabled. He was member of the Frank L. Mitchell VFW Post #3335, Jay. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing and spending time with his family.

Survivors include his son: Jerry Meeks and his wife, Theresa; two daughters: Carol Morris and her partner, Ronald, of Turner and Diana Currier of Auburn; five grandchildren: Christina and husband, Josh; Samantha, Jared and his partner, Amanda, Jennifer and her partner, Matt and Katie; great grandchildren: Hannah, Mason, Maddie, Jay, Noah and Sierra; one brother, Thomas Meeks of Indianapolis, Indiana and several nieces and nephews.

MEEKS – died, at Lewiston, 5/4/2015, Charles Meeks, 78, of North Turner. At his request, there will be no services at this time. Graveside services will be held at a later date at the New Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta. Tributes and condolences may be shared on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com. Cremation services are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center, 308 Franklin Rd., (Rte. 133), Jay.

Helen V. Dyke

1920-2015

Helen V. Dyke, 94, a former resident of Jay, currently of Leisure Village, Presque Isle, died Saturday, May 9, at the Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

Helen was born Dec. 16, 1920 in Lewiston, the daughter of Charles C. Cushman and Hazel (Bigelow) Cushman. She was a 1939 graduate of Edward Little High School in Auburn and attended University of Maine.

On Feb. 21, 1941, in Westbrook, she married her husband of 56 years, Ronald A. Dyke of Livermore Falls. He passed away Oct. 17, 1997.

Helen and her husband lived and raised their family in Lewiston, N.Y., for many years, before returning to Maine. She devoted her time caring for her family and her home, as well as working at Wheatfield Central School in Niagara for several years.

Helen was a former member of Niagara Frontier Country Club in Youngstown, N.Y., Washburn Chapter Order of Eastern Star in Livermore Falls, Livermore Falls Woman’s Club, Wilson Lake Golf and Country Club in Wilton, and had attended the Congregational Church in Wilton.

She enjoyed playing bridge and spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her son, Thomas G. Dyke of Madawaska and Presque Isle; her daughter, Janet Dunstan and husband, Brian, of Youngstown, N.Y.; five grandchildren, Susan Guidry and husband, Roy Jr., of Presque Isle, John Mang of Charlotte, N.C., Barry Dunstan and wife, Jill, of West Seneca, N.Y., Kathleen Watkins and husband, Jon, of Charleston, S.C., and Courtney Glenn and husband, Scott, of Lewiston, N.Y.; and five great-grandchildren, Jace, Giselle, Adeline, Myla and Blake.

She was predeceased by her daughter, Shirley Mang; two sons, Stephen and Lcpl. Stanton Dyke; daughter-in-law, Muriel Dyke; her brothers, Charles, Richard and Robert Cushman; sister, Shirley Jefferson; and brother-in-law, Joe Jefferson.

Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfunerahome.com.

DYKE — Helen V., 94, a former resident of Jay, currently of Leisure Village, Presque Isle, died Saturday, May 9, at the Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, at FINLEY FUNERAL HOME, 15 Church St., Livermore Falls. Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. prior to the funeral service at the funeral home. Interment Pleasant View Cemetery, 51 Fayette Road, Livermore Falls.

Dennis B. Coombs

1951-2015

Dennis B. Coombs, 63, of Jay, died suddenly of natural causes, Saturday, May 9th, doing what he loved; camping with his family and friends.

He was born June 24, 1951 in Lewiston, the son of Winston and Madeline (Chicoine) Coombs. He graduated from Livermore Falls High School in 1969, excelling in football and basketball.

On April 4, 1970, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Nancy Samson, at St. Rose of Lima Church in Jay. They recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary with a cruise to Hawaii.

He started his working career at his Uncle Kenny’s Gulf station at the age of 12 and then worked for First National Stores. Dennis started employment with International Paper Company at the Otis Mill in Jay and later transferred to the Androscoggin Mill in Jay, working on the paper machines. He was eventually promoted to the position of Paper Machine Superintendent, and retired after 34 years.

He absolutely loved spending time with his grandchildren, and they were his life. He was present for their births, and would never miss a special event, from sports, to music, to family events. He and Nancy enjoyed traveling, and the hobby of making wine, sharing it and consuming it.

Dennis was a very social person and loved being around people. In his younger years he volunteered for CES ambulance, Jay and Livermore Falls Fire Departments and also coached AYS Sports in his children’s years of playing. He also just liked to putter around the house on his projects.

He enjoyed his volunteer work with Androscoggin Home Health Hospice. He loved working with his patients, and they loved him for always brightening their days. This talent carried over to when he played Santa for the local school Christmas concert. In his early years he enjoyed hunting, four wheeling, snowmobiling and ice fishing. He was a member of the Maple Lane Golf Course and enjoyed playing in the Maple Lane Men’s league and Men’s Travel League.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Coombs of Jay, one daughter, Carrie Mitchell and her husband, Dave, from Jay, one son, Corey Coombs and his wife, Erica of Livermore Falls, two sisters, Debbie Finley and her husband, Jim, of Livermore, Dawn Plossay and her husband, Mike, of Monmouth, one brother; Darryl Coombs, and his fiancée, Catherine Ouellette, of Turner, grandchildren; Cody, Cameron, and Carter Mitchell, Kyle Coombs, Celia and Morgan McDonald, mother-in-law, Irene Samson of Farmington; brothers-in-law, Roland Samson and his wife Bonnie of North Jay; Gary Samson of South Portland; and Maurice Samson and his wife Donna of Virginia Beach, VA., sisters-in-law, Susan Israelson and her husband David of Livermore; and Valerie Deckard of South Portland; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; Winston and Madeline Coombs, and father-in-law, Raymond Samson. Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.finleyfuneralhome.com

Coombs – Died May 9, 2015, in Old Orchard Beach, Dennis B. Coombs, 63, of Jay. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 13th at FINLEY FUNERAL HOME, 15 Church St., Livermore Falls, Maine. Visiting hours 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 12th at the funeral home. If desired, contributions may be made to: Androscoggin Home Health Hospice, 15 Strawberry Ave., Lewiston, ME.

Eleanor Lois (Flint) Currier

1923-2015

On May 3, 2015, Eleanor Lois (Flint) Currier, Flagstaff Maine native, gifted community servant, nature-lover and adored matriarch was peacefully reunited with her husband of over 65 years.

Born in Bethel on Aug. 15, 1923 as an only child to Alice and Harold Flint, Eleanor was the light of their lives. She thrived in the close-knit community of Flagstaff. In her youth, Eleanor was a menace to her adversaries on the basketball court and and appreciated by all for her love of learning. She was an avid reader, and in her spare time she could be found delighting her grandparents with her company on their farm or hiking Bigelow Mountain with friends.

Eleanor subsequently went on to earn a B.A. in Home Economics from the University of Maine, Orono. Intelligent and beautiful, she captivated the attention of Richard H. Currier, whom she eventually married in 1943.

Shortly thereafter Eleanor kicked-off a career with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension followed by teaching reading in the Jay School System. As a County Extension Agent, she developed and delivered educational programs on home economics, self-improvement and community development to assist countless individuals, families and communities in Maine’s Somerset and Franklin Counties as well as in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. Eleanor was keen to be a mother, and though her wish had been eight children, after the fourth, she decided that would suffice. She loved this role above all others and she and Richard passed many happy years together, imparting their children with their own passions for history and the great outdoors.

Eleanor maintained a lifetime of community engagement. She was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Wilton and Universalist Church of North Jay. She served many terms as president for the Jay Historical Society, chaired the North Jay Cemetery Association, was a member of the Jay Niles Library Board of Directors and served as a president of the Flagstaff Memorial Chapel Association. Eleanor was a history buff and wonderful story teller. She is a former Country Square Quilter as well as 4-H and Cub Scout Leader.

Eleanor’s beautiful spirit and zest for life will be carried on by her children, Daniel Currier and partner Crystal Rice of Newport, Harold Currier and his wife, Peggy Sue Jones of Aurora, CO; Jill Keiran and her husband, Dr. Patrick Keiran of Jay; as well as by her daughter-in-law, Jean Currier, of Houston, TX; sister-in law, Martha “Patty” Currier of Fort Wayne, IN; grandchildren, Ortencia Arellano and fiancé Vin Anchan of Vienna, VA; Dr. Ella Coffren and partner Austin Ressler of Cape Elizabeth; Zachary Currier and partner Cassie Magoon of Corinna; Christopher A. Currier, and a very special neighbor, Ann Crafts.

Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Richard H. Currier, (2009), her son, Nathan Currier, (2000) and her son-in-law, Larry Coffren (2004). Tributes and condolences may be shared by visiting her memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.

CURRIER — died, at Jay, Sunday, 5/3/15, Eleanor L. Currier, 91, of Jay. Family, friends and others whose lives Eleanor touched are invited to reminisce and visit from 4–7 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2015, at Wiles Remembrance Center, 136 High St., Wilton, ME 04294. A memorial service was held on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 1 p.m. at Flagstaff Memorial Chapel, Eustis. Burial immediately followed at Flagstaff Memorial Cemetery. Eleanor was deeply committed to the memories and history of Flagstaff. It was her wish that contributions in her honor be made to Flagstaff Memorial Chapel Association, care of Ruey Yehle, 25 Northern Ave., Hampden, ME 04444.

Graveside service

Wallace C. Penney

A graveside memorial service for Wallace C. Penney, who passed Feb. 23, 2015, will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Strong Village Cemetery in Strong.

Surviving him are two daughters, Kathleen McClure and her husband Jim of Kingfield, Jewel Rowe and husband Errol of Livermore Falls, sons, Paul Penney of Wilton, and Timothy Penney and his wife Jean of Greenbush, four granddaughters, Angela, Cassie, Katie, and Alicia, four great-grandchildren, and a great great-grandchild, his brother Clyde Penney and his wife Judith of New Vineyard, many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by a son Michael Penney, and a sister Iva Castro.

Arrangements under the care of Adams-McFarlane Funeral & Cremation Services, 108 Court St., Farmington.