BANGOR – Irene M. (Cormier) Philbrick, born Jan. 5, 1914, in Cyr Plantation, Aroostook County, died peacefully at home, Dec. 16, 2003, after a brief illness. The daughter of the late Come and Exilda (Lajoie) Cormier, Irene married the love of her life, Alvah “Phil” Philbrick in 1940. They lived briefly in Hartford, Conn. and Van Buren, before buying a farm in East Corinth, where they raised six children and lived for more than 50 years. Alvah predeceased her in 1981 after a long illness. Irene will be fondly remembered by all who knew her for her sense of humor and for her extraordinary acts of kindness and generosity. She loved life and her family, music, dancing, card playing, cooking and the outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping. An avid traveler in her later years, Irene traveled many times to New Hampshire, Bermuda, Connecticut, Florida and California, as well as Hawaii and Alaska, and even cruised to Mexico and Tahiti. She was a proud, independent woman to the end; a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister who will be greatly missed. She is survived by her children, Janice and husband, William Dillon of San Francisco, Calif., Carl “Chuck” Philbrick of Hancock, Rita Sinclair of Portage Lake, Norman Allen and wife, Patsey, of Nashua, N.H., Loretta and husband, David Caron, of Belmont, N.H. and Karen Philbrick of Bangor; 18 very special grandchildren, Robert and Ian Dillon, Wade, Torri, Sean, Todd and Scott Philbrick, James Sinclair, LeAnn Hicks Long and Joy Sinclair, Ricki-Ann Philbrick, Michelle Ajanaku, Douglas Morgan, Nicholas, Allison and Rebecca Caron and Sarah and Joseph Diecidue; six great-grandchildren; her brothers, Rudo Cormier of Rochester, N.H., Roderick Cormier of Newington, Conn. and Victor Cormier of Marlboro, Mass.; sisters, Lorette Nadeau, Agathe Cote and Lena Allard of East Hartford, Conn. and Lucille Bourgoin of Enfield, Conn.; many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, especially Virginia Philbrick, Eunice Thompson and Ann Fortier. Friends may visit with the family 4-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, with the Rev. Thomas Lequin, celebrant, where a reception will follow in the parish reception hall. Interment will be 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2003, at Maine Veterans Cemetery, Augusta. Those who wish to remember Irene in a special way may make gifts to Spruce Run Association, P.O. Box 653, Bangor 04402-0653; or St. Andre Home, 87 Ohio St., Bangor 04401.
IRENE M. (CORMIER) PHILBRICK
