PENNY-JO AMES

ORLAND – Penny-Jo Ames, died Sept. 28, 2005, at a Blue Hill hospital, after living with recurrent tonsilor cancer since 2001. She was the wife of Stanley Wayne Ames, Orland Selectman for more than 35 years, and the mother of a dear son, Correy Charles Smith of Salisbury Cove. Penny-Jo was born in Castine, the daughter of Charles Vernon “Snuffy” Smith and Mildred Cimbollek Smith of Bucksport. Penny-Jo, a Bucksport native, attended the Bucksport school system, graduated from the University of Maine at Machias in 1974, with a B.S. degree majoring in English, minoring in history and education. Penny-Jo was a life-long learner who enjoyed trying all manner of things. She worked as a waitress and bartender in her early years. From 1981-1983, she worked as a teller at the Seaboard Federal Credit Union. For the next five years, she worked at Kirstein Real Estate with owner, Ruth Bell, selling and listing local properties. Penny-Jo spent several of those years conducting residential real estate appraisals for area banks and credit unions. In 1987, Penny-Jo finally found her calling, found her voice, when she landed a part-time job at the Bucksport Free Press as a local reporter, covering the towns of Bucksport, Orland and Verona Island. Her stories were simultaneously published in The Ellsworth American Newspaper. In June of 1988, she became a full-time reporter for The Main Street Current, a new newspaper which started up in Bucksport. In November of that year, Penny-Jo Ames was hired as a full-time general assignment reporter for The Ellsworth American, covering the towns of Bucksport, Orland, Verona Island, Penobscot, Castine and Brooksville. She enjoyed a decade of sheer joy working for the Hancock County weekly covering local politics, police and fire stories, business reports, social issues and her absolute favorite, feature stories about ordinary people doing wonderful things. Penny-Jo garnered several awards for her writing from the New England and Maine Press Associations.In the fall of 1998, Penny-Jo gave up the writing life and married her best friend, S. Wayne Ames of Orland. For the next six years, she channeled her creative energies into learning gardening, quilting and genealogy. She loved to read all sorts of books and research local history. Penny-Jo is survived by her husband, her son, Correy C. Smith and his wife, Bonnie-Sol Hahn Smith of Salisbury Cove; four stepchildren, Linda Leach and her husband, Joe, Scott Ames and his wife, Terry, Goody Ames and his wife, Colleen, Nancy Cyr and her husband, Jerry, all of Orland. Penny-Jo also leaves two sisters, Margo Bennett of Orland, Joan Hasey and her husband, Doug, of Bucksport; a brother-in-law, Darrell Howard Sr. of Bucksport; and a half sister, Betty Thomas of Florida; several nieces, nephews, stepgrandchildren, great-grand-children. Penny-Jo was predeceased by her parents and one sister, Carol Edith Howard. Penny-Jo enjoyed going out to breakfast with her special niece, Robin Howard of Bangor, the all-day quilting sessions with the Orland Town Office crew and friends. She also taught quilting in her home and enjoyed the company of Cheryl Sutherland of Bucksport, Julie Gilley of Prospect and Joyce Donnell of Verona Island. Penny-Jo was blessed with many good friends throughout her life, among them, Ruth Bell, Jackie Dubois, Sandi Baker, Sue Bush, Priscilla Atwood, Janice Howard, Donnalene Robicheau, Margaret Robicheau, Dave and Ginny Davis, just to name a few. When she married, Wayne, Penny-Jo was also blessed with the gift of two sisters-of-the-heart, Marilyn Ames Freeman of Marblehead, Mass. and Karen Kear Ames of Pembroke, Mass., who along with their husbands, Nick Freeman and Mark Ames, respectively, were extremely supportive throughout her struggle with cancer. Kevin Ames of Orland was also a special friend. Family and friends will gather 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005, at the Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home, 28 Elm St., Bucksport, with Pastor Peter Remick officiating to celebrate the life of Penny-Jo Ames. After cremation, she will be interred in the Silver Lake Cemetery, Bucksport. Donations can be made in her memory to the Orland Historical Society to help equip a genealogy research area at the Orland Town Office.