MILBRIDGE
Nellie Joanne Smith, 87, died on Sunday, July 15, 2018, in Ellsworth after a short period of declining health. She was born Nov. 19, 1930, in Milbridge, the fourth child of Wilbur R. Freeman and Vera Mae (Chipman) Freeman.
In 1953, Joanne married James E. Smith, of South Portland, their marriage enduring 64 years as of last November.
After graduation from Milbridge High School, Class of 1949, Joanne completed the secretarial science course at Beal College in Bangor. From her first job right out of college at hardware retailer Haynes and Chalmers in Bangor, to her last job at the Milbridge Medical Center, Joanne said the thing she enjoyed about office work was that she learned about new fields of work with each new job. While Jim was on active duty with the United States Air Force, they were stationed at different bases in this country and a base in Spain, allowing them cultural and traveling adventures in the United States and Western Europe. They retired to Milbridge, where they built their own house; Joanne was painter-in-chief, painting all the interior walls, trim and ceilings in their new home.
Joanne was a lifetime member of the Milbridge United Methodist Church, and a member and former officer of Alcyone No. 71 Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. Like her mother before her and her sisters, Joanne was a member of the Thursday Club, which raised money for the church through its sale of fine handiwork, quilts and home baked goods. She was a beautiful knitter, seamstress and quilter who had a great sense of color, style and fun, especially when she made mittens for schoolchildren.
In addition to her husband, Joanne is survived by her sister, Hortense Hutchins; her sister-in-law Peggy Freeman; her sister-in-law and husband, Suzie and Steve Bailey; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, great-grandnieces and nephews and godchildren. She was predeceased by her parents; her brother, James Freeman; her sister and brother-in-law Wilma and Abner Sargent; her sister and brother-in-law, Vera Helen and Albert Robertson; her brother-in-law Willis Hutchins, her sister-in-law, Geraldine Dexter, one niece and two nephews.
Interment and a brief graveside service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 1 p.m. at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Joanne may be made to the Milbridge United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 93, Milbridge, ME 04658. Arrangements are under the direction and care of Bragdon-Kelley Funeral Home, Milbridge.