WINTERPORT – Velma Louise (Withee) Burns, wife of the late Joseph Kerr Burns, passed away peacefully, July 27, 2007, in Bangor. She was born Sept. 6, 1913, in Hampden, to Elmer Ellsworth Withee and Mary Ellen (Dickey) Withee. Her mother died when Velma was 9 years old and she was left to not only care for her ailing father, but a farm and two younger siblings. She was educated in many one-room schoolhouses in Rockland, Belfast and mainly Hampden. She will be remembered for her pies and biscuits she made faithfully for Ellingswood Corner Methodist Church suppers. She loved to cook and could cook all day long. She and her husband, Joe, successfully operated Burns Orchard from 1944 until retirement in 1980. Prior to that, they grew many crops, which were shipped overseas during World War II. Velma loved animals, especially horses, dogs, cats and one special lamb, Lambie Pie. As a child, her family entertained at many church services by singing, especially at Ellings-wood Corner Church. She continued to be a member and sing in the church choir at Ellingswood Corner Church until she was unable to attend church services. She was an experienced seamstress and taught sewing classes for many years at 4-H clubs and West Winterport Extension, where she held many office positions. Velma had also been a school bus driver for the Winterport School Department. She also enjoyed flowers, knitting and traveling. She traveled extensively in Europe. She especially loved to get in her car and just go! Velma was a past member of the group that was formed for civil defense, the Northern Lights Grange Hall and was also a member of Winterport Senior Citizens. Velma is survived by one daughter, Mary R. and her husband, Roger F. Newey; three grandchildren, who were the love of her life, Angela (Newey) Walsh and her husband, Matthew Walsh and their two children, Jessica and Dylan, Michael Newey and his wife, Carrie (Creath) Newey and their two sons, Gunnar and Garrett, and Andrea (Newey) Bozzino and her husband, Frank Bozzino and their two sons, Parkerr and Frankie; one brother-in-law, Stuart Chaplin of South Berwick; one sister-in-law, E. Frances (Averill) Withee of Portland; along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Joseph, November 1989; a younger sister, Charlotte Babcock in 1993; a younger brother, Arnold Withee in 2002; and an older sister, Ellie (Marion) Chaplin in 1998. The family thanks Melanie and the rest of the staff at The Country Villa for their loving and compassionate care of Velma. Visiting hours will be held 6-8 p.m. Monday at Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden. A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Hill Cemetery, Winterport, with the Rev. Dr. Tracy Reeves officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations in Velma’s memory may be made to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 B Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401.
VELMA LOUISE (WITHEE) BURNS
