GORHAM – Mabel I. Mahany passed away June 28, 2009. She was born in 1921, in St. John, New Brunswick, the daughter of Walter and Gladys S. Mott. At the age of three, she moved with her mother to Massachusetts after the death of her father and sister. A few years later, she moved to Fort Fairfield after her mother’s marriage to Charles Newcomb, who treated her as though she was his own daughter. She attended Fort Fairfield schools from fourth grade through high school, graduating as the as salutatorian of her class in 1939. After graduation she worked in a potato broker’s office until the time of her marriage to Merle R. Mahany in 1940. She moved to South Portland, Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day, because Merle was working for the War Department in the Greater Portland area. The family became communicants of Holy Cross Parish, South Portland, and in later years St. Joseph’s Parish, Portland. During the early 1970s, she lived in Fort Kent, where Merle was administrator of the Northern Maine Medical Center. Upon her return to Portland and after her family was grown, she worked at Pine Tree Card and Gift Shop from 1976 to 1981, when the shop closed. She then went to work for Lovell’s Exchange, Exchange Street, Portland, until her retirement in 1990. She was predeceased by her husband, Merle R. Mahany in 2002; and a brother, Vernon Newcomb of Fort Fairfield. Surviving are her children, Mary Ann Lacombe of Portland, Richard W. Mahany and his wife, Pearl, of Palm Desert, Calif., Catherine I. Clark and her husband, Jeffrey, of York and John R. Mahany and his wife, Jane Conley, of Long Island. She is also survived by a brother, Preston Newcomb of Fort Fairfield; a sister, Gail Clark of Andover, New Brunswick; grandchildren, Susan Turner, Carol Lacombe, Robert Seymour IV, Laura Tsakiris and her husband, Derek, and Eric Lacombe and his wife, Gretchen; 12 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews. The family thanks the staffs of Gorham House Alzheimer’s Unit, Windsor II and Beacon Hospice for the wonderful loving care that was given to our mother during her stay there throughout the past two and one-half years. Visiting hours will be 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, July 2, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, South Portland. In lieu of flowers, if desired donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association – Maine Chapter, 170 U.S. Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.
MABEL I. MAHANY
