MEXICO, ME – Phyllis B. Chiasson died on June 9, 2021, with family by her side. Phyllis Chiasson peacefully passed away. Born in Dixfield on Jan. 5, 1933, she attended grade school there before moving to Mexico and graduating from Mexico High school in 1950. She has been a resident of Mexico since her childhood move.

Phyllis was a hard worker and valued team member at the mills where she worked. In her earlier years, she worked at Diamond Match and the Hale (dowell) Mill; in the latter part of her working life, she spent 25 years at Boise Cascade’s Rumford Mill before retirement. In her 25 years of service at the Rumford Mill, she worked many different jobs, but spent most of latter her years as a Rollwrap Operator.

Work was necessary, but family was everything to Phyllis and she was everything – and more, to them in return. She was an avid sports fan, attending any and all ball games when raising her own children, and then those of her grandchildren as they went through various teams and sports. Whether it was a tee-ball game, a high school baseball game, or a college football game, she was always there to enthusiastically cheer the family-favored team on!

Phyllis also loved to fish, and spent many hours on Mooselookmeguntic fishing with her long-time companion, Cephus Irish. Whether at a brook, in a boat on a lake or the ocean, or on the ice, if there were fish to be caught and someone was fishing, she was always game to be there.

Phyllis was also an avid and true, life-long Red Sox fan, with Tim Wakefield being her forever favorite player! For years, she would keep score of every game in spiral bound notebooks, using ruler and pen to create her version of a scorebook prior to each game. At times, her book was complete through the whole game; at other times, you knew the exact point she drifted off to sleep during the game! Going to Sox games at Fenway was especially memorable for Phyllis, and over the last few years, family (and friends) coordinated two bus trips to Fenway – all for Phyllis to see her beloved team play. In her final inning, as she passed on to her eternal rest, family made sue “Sweet Caroline” was playing in her ear, guiding her through, leaving the Sox less one truly amazing fan.

Along with trips to Fenway, Phyllis also loved to travel and would go most anywhere; Branson, Mo. was a favorite, going there nearly every year in her early retirement years. She also spent a lot of time on bus tours with her sisters, Maxine and Betty, visiting many various spots in Canada and the U.S. The sisters took turns choosing their yearly destinations, ensuring each of their favored vacation spots were covered! The three sisters cherished these special, fun-filled trips together.

Christmas with family was also a precious time for Phyllis, creating many traditions and lasting memories. Setting aside a special day each year with the granddaughters for “Cookies with Gram” to decorate holiday cookies, make a gingerbread house, and put together a special craft was a favorite event, as was building her Dickens’ Christmas village with the younger grandsons. For the last 20 plus Chiasson family Christmas celebrations, the grandchildren would honor their Gram with a skit they created; the skits ranged from dressing their grandmother up as a Christmas tree and adorning her with ornaments and personalized panels for a Christmas tree skirt, to a special game they created, building suspense and clues prior to presenting her with that year’s special Christmas gift of a trip to Hawaii, her dream vacation destination.

The many memories with this amazing woman will always be cherished; she will be greatly missed by family and those who were lucky enough to know her.

Phyllis was predeceased by her long time companion Cephus Irish; parents, Oral and Myrna Brown; sister, Maxine Gilbert, and brother Captain Malcolm Rand, a P-47 fighter pilot, killed in the line of duty in WWII. She is survived by her sister, Betty Salatino; seven children, Michael and Kim Chiasson of Mexico, Dennis and Tammy Chiasson of Standish, Bradley Chiasson of Mexico, Carlene (Chiasson) and Jim Nicols of Mexcio, Gary and Tracy Chiasson of Peru, Janet (Chiasson) and Alan Koski of Weld, and Gregory Chiasson of Rumford. Also surviving are grandchildren Carey (Chiasson) Woods, Michael “Mikie” Chiasson, Matthew Chiasson, Standish “Eric” Chiasson, Katie Winslow, Cody Chiasson, Kayla (Chiasson) Capponi, Kristen (Nicols) Viger, Tanya (Nicols) Arsenault, Ryan Nicols, Ellie Hall, Nicole (Irish) Knowles; and great-grandchildren Kolby Woods, Quinn Woods, McCailla Millett, Emerson Chiasson, Baby Boy Chiasson (due in July), Kamber Capponi, Dalton Viger, Ethan Knowles, Adrian Knowles, and Devon Knowles.

You are invited to offer condolences and pay tribute to Phyllis’ life by visiting her guest book at http://www.thibaultfuneralhome.com

Visitation Thibault Funeral Home Monday June 14 from 4-7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated on Tuesday June 15 at 10 a.m. at St John’s Church in Rumford. Committal will follow at Farrington Morton Cemetery in Mexico.

Arrangements are under the care and Direction of Thibault remembrance Center 250 Penobscot St. Rumford 364-4366.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks to please provide a donation to:

Northern New England Chapter of the

ALS Association

P.O. Box 207

Concord, NH 03302



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