1927 – 2016

AUGUSTA — Ruth Flewelling, 89, of Mt. Vernon, passed away Monday, Aug. 1, at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Augusta.

She was born April 9, 1927, in Shawmut to parents Ernest Thomas and Mabel (Fenlason Thomas) Dickinson. She graduated from Skowhegan High School, Class of 1944. During World War II, Ruth’s wartime efforts were delivering Western Union messages to families.

She married her high school sweetheart, Lewis Flewelling, on July 21, 1946, at Ruth’s parents’ home. They resided in Skowhegan until moving to Mt. Vernon in 1964, where they owned Lew’s Country Store. After selling the store in 1979, Ruth worked at Hussey Hardware in Augusta.

In her retirement years, she and Lew enjoyed many winters in Lady Lake, Fla. Together, they enjoyed camping and spending time at Kingsbury Pond. She enjoyed crafting her beautiful braided rugs, crocheting family treasures, collecting angels and most of all, spending time with her family. Ruth was a longtime member of Eastern Star and the Grange.

Ruth is survived by a sister, Mabel Larsen and her husband, Joe; her son, Bill Flewelling and his wife, Pat, of Leeds; daughter, Millie Whittier and her husband, Waine, of Vienna; daughter, Lisa Crowell and partner, Bill Elliott, of Wayne; and son, Jeffrey Flewelling and his wife, Nancy, of Augusta. She is also survived by eight granddaughters, Lidie Whittier Robbins and husband, Josh, Addie Whittier Michaud and husband, Alfie, Shannon Crowell Cote and husband, Jason, Kate Flewelling and partner, Lucas Herter, Anna Flewelling Watson and husband, Tony, Krystle Flewelling Blaisdell and husband, RJ, Mikaela Flewelling, and Julie Crowell Anderson and husband, Chris. Great-­grandchildren are Brynne Robbins, Saige, Leah and Faith Michaud, Ayla and Callen Cote, Alexandra, Angus and Gwendolyn Watson, and Harper and Will Anderson; and her sister-­in ­law, Thelma (Flewelling) Pooler.

Ruth was predeceased by her parents; her loving step­father, Amos Dickinson; step­sister, Ellen Jackson; son-­in-­law, Wayne Crowell; and her beloved husband, Lewis, who died on May 1, 2016.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Maine Veterans’ Home for their wonderful care of Ruth during the past several weeks, as well as the team from Maine General Hospice. A very special thanks to “Susan,” Ruth’s own hospice angel.