LAMOINE – Villa Hodgkins Smith Tweedie, 86, died Feb. 24, 2005, at an Ellsworth healthcare facility. She was born Jan. 26, 1919, in Jacksonville, Fla. the daughter of Herbert R. and Clarissa C. (Hodgkins) Smith of Lamoine and Preston, Cuba. Her father and mother spent 35 years in Preston where her father was chief engineer and ran the largest sugar mill in the world for the United Fruit Company. Her mother’s family, the Hodgkins and Coggins were early settlers in Lamoine. Her great-grandfather, Calvin Coggins was master mariner of the extreme clippership Pampero which he sailed around the world three times. Her grandfather, Francis D. Hodgkins had a commercial fishing business based on the Jordan River in Lamoine. Villa graduated from Dean Academy and received her bachelor of science from Simmons College in Boston in 1941. Until her marriage to James Kerr Tweedie Sr. in 1947, she worked in New York City as a bilingual executive secretary. She was also successful in real estate in the Boston area from 1968-1972 after which she and her husband retired to their home in Lamoine. She had three children, Thomas who died in early childhood, Catherine of Greenwich, Conn. and Bath, and James of Bar Harbor. She was an active member of the Episcopal Church and gave generously of her time as a volunteer to many charitable organizations. She and her husband spent many winters in Spain on the Coasta del Sol. They enjoyed many trips throughout the world. Villa enjoyed entertaining family and friends, many whom came to visit her home in Lamoine from all over the world. She was an accomplished cook and enjoyed all of the domestic arts. She was an active bridge player and gardener. She loved the ocean and always lived within view of the sea which she felt gave her strength and peace. A celebration of Villa’s life will be held in July. Contributions may be made to the Lamoine Baptist Church, RFD 2, Box 95, Ellsworth, ME 04605 in her memory. Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth.
VILLA HODGKINS TWEEDIE
