BETHEL – Nesta Lucille Littlefield of Bethel passed away on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 at the Memory Care Unit of Market Square Health Center in South Paris.

Nesta was born on April 2, 1937 in Mt. Vernon to Robert and Annie Merrick Gordon. In 1941 the family moved to Bethel, to a home her father built on the Rabbit Road.

Nesta attended Bethel grammar schools and was a member of the class of 1955 at Gould Academy. While at Gould, Nesta excelled as a student and musician–pianist, organist, and singer.

Nesta married her grammar school sweetheart, James Richard Littlefield, on Jan. 29, 1955. They enjoyed 53 years together before his passing in 2008. They had five children and raised them on the family homestead.

Nesta enjoyed a busy, full life as a wife, mother, grandmother, and church musician. From the time she was a young woman, she played for innumerable weddings and funerals in the Bethel area. She was the organist and choir director at the Methodist Church while raising her young family. From 1981-2018, she was the organist and choir director at the West Bethel Union Church.

Nesta was the bookkeeper for her husband’s plumbing and heating business for many years. In 1977 she went to work for the Town of Bethel as an office clerk, eventually taking on the role of Finance Officer for the town. She retired in 2005, after almost 30 years and is remembered as being dedicated, confident, and reliable in her duties to the town.

Nesta enjoyed many years of service as a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was named Grand Organist for the Grand Chapter of Maine in 1986. She and Dick enjoyed traveling throughout the state with their Grand Family.

After her retirement, she and her husband worked together on their small apple orchard at the family homestead. She loved camping, working in her flower and vegetable gardens, cooking and baking, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Nesta was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; parents Robert and Annie Gordon; and her brother, Duane A. Gordon.

Nesta is survived by her sons Randal (Maribeth) Littlefield of Monkton, Md.. Richard (Linda) Littlefield of Calais, daughters Cathy (Leonard) Hoy of Greenwood, Lauri (Scott) Degen of Livermore Falls, Sharon Littlefield (Gary Schneider) of Madison, N.H.; grandchildren Christopher Littlefield of Clearwater, Fla., Anna Littlefield Kirk of Wilmington, Del., Michael Hoy of Dallas, Ga., Scott Morse of Moncton, NB, Jessica Reichenbach of Livermore Falls, Sam Littlefield of Bangor, and Alecia Martin of Bangor; and 10 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Linda Gordon, Warrenton, N.C.; niece, Heather Jenkins, Henderson, N.C., and nephew, Brandon Gordon, Ridgeway, N.C.; and her devoted companion for 11 years, Daniel Whitman, Bethel.

The family wishes to thank Memory Care Unit Director, Amy Boivin, and her dedicated staff for caring for Nesta with love, grace, patience, and humor.

There will be a memorial service on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. at the West Bethel Union Church, West Bethel. 

Arrangements by Cliff Gray Cremation and Funeral Services, 60 Andrews Road, Bryant Pond.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Nesta’s name to the

Memory Care Unit “Residents Fund”,

Market Square Health Center,

3 Market Square,

So. Paris, ME 04281,

attn: Amy Boivin.

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