VESTA STAIRS

BREWER – Vesta Virginia (White) Stairs passed away peacefully Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, in Brewer, with family by her side. Born June 13, 1911, in Caribou, to Clarence and Mary (Dempsey) White, Vesta graduated from Caribou High School in 1930 and Aroostook State Normal School, Presque Isle, in 1931, where she earned special certification to teach early grades. She began her teaching career in Colby, Wade and Washburn, in one-room schoolhouses before moving for a brief time with her husband, Osborne, and daughter, Marilyn, to Worcester, Mass., where she worked in an office at Norton Abrasives during World War II. Upon returning to Washburn in 1944, Vesta taught elementary school in town and took evening and weekend courses at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1963. After more than 40 years in teaching and developing close friendships with numerous colleagues, Vesta retired in 1974 and enjoyed her home and flower gardens on Hines Street, as well as spending time with her many friends. Vesta was a very devoted member of First Baptist Church, Washburn, serving as deaconess and Sunday school teacher for many years. She was a past member of the Order of Eastern Star and the Washburn Historical Society. Vesta was a career woman ahead of her time, working full-time, raising a family, and attending university. She once quipped, “I was always fortunate to have my children taken care of by their grandmothers. They really learned the meaning of ‘no.’” Vesta’s life was one of service to her family, school, and church; she will be fondly remembered by all who knew her giving spirit, including generations of County residents who learned to read and write in her classrooms. Vesta was predeceased by husband, Osborne; brother, Grover White; sister, Velma (White) Langen; son-in-law, Louis Peters; and granddaughter, Leslie Meyer. She was also predeceased by dear friend, Cecil Porter of Washburn. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn (Stairs) and William Hambley of Woodbridge, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Shirley Stairs of Hampden; granddaughter, Lori Peters of Anacortes, Wash.; granddaughter, Nicolle Spaans and great-granddaughter, Tara Spaans of Elk Grove, Calif.; granddaughter, Andrea Stairs of Knoxville, Tenn.; granddaughter, Sara (Stairs) Burgos and her husband, Paul, of Gorham; and many nieces and nephews. Capturing the essence of Vesta’s life is Psalm 27, verse 4: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord.” The family wishes to thank Mary Rowe, RN, and her incredible staff at Woodlands in Brewer, for their loving care. A celebration of Vesta’s life will be held in late spring arranged by Mockler Funeral Home, Caribou. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Vesta’s name to the Washburn Public Library, P.O. Box 571, Washburn, ME, 04786.