BATH, N.H., PRESQUE ISLE, and HOULTON – My mother, Mary Lowina Dionne Badger, Minnie, 92, died peacefully on Aug. 28, 2004, at her residence at Madigan Estates in Houlton. She was born April 14, 1912, in Island Pond, Brighton, Vt., the same day the titanic sank. Her parents were Amanda Castonguay Dionne and Francis Dionne. Mother, the last of her generation was a very strong woman, who took on tremendous responsibilities as a teenager, raising her two young sisters and brother after the death of their mother. She did this while attending high school and having all household responsibilities. When her grandfather was struck by an intoxicated driver in front of her house she rushed out and held him in her arms while he died. Later that evening she washed and dressed him for the viewing at her house. She was but 17 years old. During World War II, she was a supervisor at the defense plant and after the war returned to being a housewife. Later she became the postmaster of the Bath, New Hampshire post office and retired in 1974. She traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, which gave her great pleasure. In 1985, she moved to Presque Isle, to be closer to her family. For the past three years she resided at Madigan Estates in Houlton. Mother was a tiny woman who wouldn’t allow anything to defeat or keep her down. No matter what happened she saw it in a positive light. She overcame tremendous adversity in her early years losing close friends to epidemics and the flu breakout of 1918-1920, and being a young teenager with full responsibility of raising her younger sisters and brother. She was born into an outdoors family and never hesitated in taking me hunting and fishing when I was to young to go alone, picking wild berries with me, playing ball or teaching me how to cook. She took great pleasure in watching her grandchildren, John II and Amanda, grow to adults and teaching them French. The arrival of her great-granddaughter was a special delight. She is survived by her only child, John D. Badger and his wife, Mary Jo Badger; grandson, John D. Badger II and his wife, Jessica Faupel Badger; great-granddaughter, Lauren Margaret Badger of Germantown, Md.; and granddaughter, Amanda Catherine Badger of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. She was predeceased by her husband, Vale D. Badger; sisters, Pauline Dionne Wheeler, Madeline Dionne Bragdon; and brother Joseph Dionne Young; half sisters, Albina Beaulieu McKelvey, Agnes Beaulieu Parent, Irene Beaulieu Bishop; half brother, Clovis Beaulieu; step- sister, Alice Dionne; and stepbrother, Henry Dionne. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Houlton with the Rev. Eddy Morin celebrant. Friends may call from 9:15 until time of service, at the church. Interment will take place next to my father, Vale in Bath, N.H., at the Bath Village Cemetery 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2004. Mother loved the town of Bath where she spent 35 years of her life. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Bath Village Historical Society, Box 44, Bath, N.H. 03740, or to the Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter for the Homeless, P.O. Box 1753 Presque Isle, ME 04769. Arrangements in care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home 30 Church St. Presque Isle.
Vale and Mary Dionne Badger
