AUGUSTA – Sharon Smith Parquette, 67, of Riverside Drive and formerly of West Gardiner, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007, at MaineGeneral Medical Center after a long battle with heart disease and diabetes. She was born Sept. 12, 1939, in Fort Fairfield, a daughter of the late Gibson and Ruth (Towle) Smith. Mrs. Parquette was a graduate of Fort Fairfield High School in 1957 and was a graduate of Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, as a registered nurse in 1960. She was employed as a nurse at Augusta General Hospital, specializing in pediatrics. After leaving in 1988, Sharon worked as a registered nurse consultant for Merrill Manor and Gilbert Manor, Gardiner, until 1992. Sharon was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend. She and her husband, Frank, were married for 46 and a half years. Because of her husband’s love and devotion, she was able to enjoy life to the fullest. She was a devout Catholic and active member of the church. She had a great love for reading, enjoyed gardening, quilting and knitting. She knitted blankets for the Lineus Project, which sends the blankets to children in need in other countries. She enjoyed the ocean and found her summers at Port Clyde very peaceful. She volunteered for four years at the Laura E. Richards School, Gardiner, in her daughter’s classroom. She loved to go to all of her grandchildren’s sporting events, especially basketball, and could always be heard cheering for everyone. She also looked forward to the summers when she would go and watch her daughter and family show their horses at the horse shows. Survivors include her husband, Frank Parquette of Augusta and formerly of West Gardiner; two sons, Peter G. Parquette of Augusta and Jeffrey S. Parquette and his wife, Feleicia, of Norridgewock; two daughters, Theresa “Terry” Cunningham Griswold of Gardiner and Katie Smith and her husband, Kyle, of West Gardiner; a brother, Charles T. Smith and his wife, Patricia, of Las Vegas; a sister, Judith A. Young of Fort Fairfield; 10 grandchildren, Ryan Cunningham, Mary Parquette, Naomi Parquette, Quincy Parquette, Kaleb Smith, Keegan Smith, Justine Griswold, Rachael Griswold, Jeffrey Parquette and Ava Parquette; also three great-grandchildren and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many cousins. She was predeceased by a son, William “Bill” Parquette; as well as a sister, Beverly Doak; and a son-in-law, Lance Cunningham. At her request, there will be no hours of visitation. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Church Street, Gardiner. Spring burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Pelton Hill, Manchester. Those who desire may make donations in her memory to the Diabetes Foundation. Arrangements are under the care of Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta.
SHARON SMITH PARQUETTE
