LIVERMORE FALLS — Friends of Wendy Douglass will hold a candle light vigil on Sunday night to help them “honor and remember” their friend “who lost her life to domestic violence” on Tuesday.
The vigil will start at 8 p.m. at Food City, where Douglass’ worked as produce manager, on Main Street/Route 4 in Livermore Falls. Those gathered will walk down Main Street to Douglass’ house at 5 Jewell St. in Jay. Special glass-encased candles adorned with a purple ribbon representing domestic violence and with gold pearls representing Douglass’ “heart of gold” are available at The Flower Barn on Main Street in Jay. Friends and co-workers of Douglass bought the candles with their own money. They are asking a minimal donation of $5, which will go to Douglass’ family. The flower shop is open until 4 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Anyone who wants to join in the walk can start at any place along the way or meet them at the house, Jennifer St. Pierre, manager of Food City, said. People can also bring their own candles or balloons if they have them, she said.
James “Ted” Sweeney, 56, of Jay is charged with the murder of Douglass, 51, of Jay, his “significant other.” They had broken up about a week ago but they both lived at the home owned by Douglass, according to a police affidavit filed with the court. A doctor from the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was “blunt force trauma” to Douglass’ head, the affidavit states. A state prosecutor said Thursday the weapon was a bat recovered at the scene.
Customers came up to St. Pierre at the store Friday giving her hugs. Douglass had worked at Food City for more than five years. People have also called them offering condolences and have sent them cards.
“(Douglass) had worked all over town. She catered and worked at restaurants” and other places, St. Pierre said.
“She was all about food and fairy houses,” she said.
Douglass had made dozens of fairy houses, which was her new project.
“She was a person who would give you the shirt off her back. She was happy-go-lucky,” St. Pierre said.
She was good with children as well.
People would come in and ask Douglass “how do you cook this” and ask for recipes.
They loved her fresh salsa she made from store produce and it was sold at the store.
“People would come in ask her if she was making salsa this week,” she said.
St. Pierre’s eyes teared up when she talked about Douglass.
She stressed that if anyone finds themselves in a domestic situation and need help, “please seek help.”
The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence’s 24-hour hotline is available at 1-866-834-HELP (4357).
Douglass “never indicated she was in harm’s way,” she said. “That is what hurts. Maybe if we knew, we could have tried to help her. We don’t know if she was, we’ll never know.”
Everyone at the store is devastated, she said.
“Wendy did produce all by herself. Yesterday, there were four of us working over there. We are all employees and family here. We all worked together,” St. Pierre said.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
Heather Lane, left, and Jen St. Pierre, both employees at Food City in Livermore Falls, hold one of the candles that has a purple ribbon representing domestic violence and gold beads representing Wendy Douglass’ heart of gold on it. They are organizing a vigil on Sunday night for their friend and co-worker who was produce manager at the store. Douglass died Tuesday in an attack. The vigil starts at 8 p.m. at the store on Main Street in Livermore Falls and will proceed to 5 Jewell St. in Jay where Douglass lived. The candles are available at The Flower Barn in Jay for a minimum of $5. The proceeds will go to the family.
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