Christine Wing

RUMFORD – Christine Wing passed away on May 2, 2022, after a long and valiant battle against Parkinsons disease.

Chris was born in Portland on July 24, 1948, to Carlton and Vivian Wing. After high school, she attended Carnegie Melon University in Pittsburgh, Pa. She later moved to Rumford where she spent over 35 years as an art teacher at Rumford High School.

Chris pursued development of her art by taking graduate classes at Skidmore College. After her summer classes there, she returned to Maine with renewed enthusiasm and ideas for her own works and for sharing with her students at Mountain Valley (Rumford) High School. Chris was fond of incorporating local industrial scenes in her paintings, embracing the spirit of the paper mills around her. She also illustrated a book, “Sage of the Anasazi: A Dream Journey Through Time to the Ancient Ones of the Southwest”, written by Timothy A. Buzzard.

Chris had a substantial interest in promoting the arts in Rumford and was actively involved in the development of the Pennacook Art Center, a grassroots non-profit arts cooperative for local artists of the Rumford area to display their artwork.

Chris produced artwork in a variety of mediums including encaustic wax painting, oil, watercolor, and even took an airbrushing class at the request of her students so she could teach them the technique. She enjoyed working in 3D, salvaging window frames, parts of tools, metal scraps, and wood scraps to create art that she joyfully displayed around her home. She creatively incorporated nature in her artwork.

Chris enjoyed traveling with her mother to see Peggy and the grandchildren in Michigan. She loved sending them books and art supplies. She was happy to be included in the family festivities of her two stepdaughters and their families. She was the welcomed grandmother at their holiday celebrations and birthday parties of the grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren. She loved taking festively decorated birthday cakes to the birthday celebrations.

Chris enjoyed cooking, eating out with friends, making wine, movie nights, Kentucky Derby parties, Easter with her mother at Portland Country Club, Wing family events, live music – attending the National Folk Festival in Bangor and camping at the Red Barn Campground. She enjoyed going to the North Atlantic Blues Festival, Maine Music Society events, and loved art museums – anywhere she could find them! She was a diverse and creative woman.

She is survived by her daughter, Peggy Hafiani (Fouad), stepdaughters Amy Govea (Miguel) and Amanda Leathers (Joey); along with many grandchildren; and great-grandchildren; and brothers Michael (Nancy) and Jeffrey (Nancy) Wing.

A celebration of life will be held at the Thibault Funeral Home in Rumford on June 2, at 2 p.m. All are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers,

please make a donation to your favorite charity

or choose to support your local art community.

Chris would love that.

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