WALDOBORO – Ella Hodgdon Payne, 96, died peacefully Monday, Nov. 15, 2004, at Cove’s Edge in Damariscotta surrounded by her family. She was the wife of the late Honorable Senator Frederick G. Payne and Governor of the State of Maine. Ella was born, July 4, 1908, in Mars Hill, the daughter of Josiah and Caroline Giberson Hodgdon. From the time Ella was 11 years old, she visited Waldoboro staying with her sister, Marion Miller and her husband, John. In 1932, she came to Waldoboro to stay and owned and operated a beauty shop here for 15 years. She was a staunch Republican and of all the places she lived, including Washington, D.C., and the Blaine House in Augusta, Waldoboro was her favorite. She found political life difficult at times because politics came first and family second. She always showed interest in public affairs and the people of the town of Waldoboro. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Waldoboro. She was predeceased by her husband, the Honorable Frederick G. Payne and great-grandson, Michael Aaron Durkee. Survivors include her son, E. Thomas Payne of Waldoboro; grandson, Frederick G. Payne II and wife, Jean, of Camden; granddaughter, Mary Payne Brotherton and husband, Bud, of Augusta; four great-grandchildren, Thomas Durkee and wife, Kim, of Waldoboro; Danica and Jonathan Payne, of Camden, Derek Brotherton of Augusta; six great-great-grandchildren, Zach-ary, Isaac, and Kyle Durkee, of Waldoboro, Cameron Durkee of Bernard, Stephanie Brown of Hope, Danielle Bither of Portland. Visiting hours will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro, where a funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, 2004, with the Rev. Foster Williams officiating. Interment will follow at the German Cemetery in Waldoboro. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to: Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Sports, Health, and Wellness, 11 Parkwood Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 or Waldoboro Ambulance Service, PO Box J, Waldoboro, ME 04572. Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Hall Funeral Home, Waldoboro.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *