SKOWHEGAN – Ida B. Babnaw, 92, of Canaan, passed away Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009, at Maplecrest Rehabilitation and Living Center, Madison, with her family at her side. She was born May 26, 1916, in Athens, the daughter of Ara and Kate (Goldsmith) Hall. Ida attended schools in Athens, graduating from Somerset Academy. She met and married Oliver Babnaw, March 14, 1942, in Pittsfield. He passed away in 1984. Ida worked intermittently throughout her life. She spent most of her life as a homemaker. She did work at Baxter Canning, Hartland, which later became Snowflake Canning and then during the 1960s Ida worked at Norwock Shoe Co., Skowhegan. Later on, after her husband passed, she worked as a live-in caregiver for elderly people. She was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church, Skowhegan, Order of the Eastern Star and VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Skowhegan. She enjoyed cooking, canning, pickling, making mince meat, going on overnight trips, and she liked to go snowmobiling, but most of all she loved family gatherings. She is survived by her children, her son, Richard Babnaw and his wife, Katherine, of Skowhegan, and her two daughters, Priscilla Boudreau of Skowhegan, and Patricia Lessard and her husband, Francis, of Canaan; 11 grandchildren, Sherry, Roderick, Ann Marie, Lisa, Trish, Sarah, Julie, Alan, Katie, Jason and Nicole; 17 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter; one daughter-in-law, Charlene Babnaw; many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Oliver; her son, Michael Babnaw; two sisters, Irene Steeves and Ruth Hubbard; three brothers, Maurice Hall, Frank Hall and Earle Hall; and one grandson, Kevin Babnaw. A special thank you to all the staff at Maplecrest Rehabilitation and Living Center, Health Reach and Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County. Visitation will be held 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Smart & Edwards Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, where a funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25. Burial will be held in the spring at Mount Rest Cemetery, Athens. Donations may be made in Ida’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, 170 U.S. Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105; online at www.alz.org; or Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County, care of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, ME 04976.
IDA B. BABNAW
