HELEN SHAW SEARLES

WEST ENFIELD – Helen Shaw Searles, 83, wife of the late Grover C. Searles Jr., died Oct. 4, 2010, at a Bangor hospital. She was born June 14, 1927, in Durham, the daughter of Vernon and Bertha Shaw. Helen was a member of West Enfield Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and crafts, and was an avid gardener. She loved sending out Christmas cards every year and was known to receive dozens in return. Helen was loved by all who knew her and even those that didn’t know her found her to be very approachable. She is survived by five children, Peggy Cote and her husband, Andy, Grover Searles III, Barbara Foster and her friend, Peter Hamel, Paul “Joe” Searles, and Betsy Audibert and her husband, Bill; a brother, Charlie Shaw and his wife, Barbara; a sister, Mildred Neely and her husband, Frank; eight grandchildren, Kelly Stewart and her husband, Eric, Albert Cochran and his wife, Stacy, Paul Ireland III and his wife, Renee, Tonya Searles and her friend, Matt Miller, Michelle Searles and her friend, Shawn Willard, Ruth MacKechnie and her husband, Mack, Katie Audibert, and Louis Audibert and his wife, Jess; 16 great-grandchildren, Briana Stewart, Haley Bernard, Michael Ireland, Alexis Ireland, Mason Miller, Brooklyn Miller, Destani Willard, Shawn Willard Jr., Jasmine Dolley, Mitch Audibert, Shirley Audibert, Elsie Audibert, Lily Audibert, Hannah Audibert, Savanah Audibert and Madison Audibert; several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Grover, she was predeceased by six sisters, Lula Hazel Shaw, Sadie Durrell, Madelyn Arenz, Mary Kimball, Dorothy Dennison and Ruth Cassick; three brothers, George Shaw Sr., Vernon Shaw and John Shaw Sr.; and a great-granddaughter, Erica Stewart. Friends may call 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, at Clay Funeral Home, 7 Lee Road, Lincoln, where funeral services will be held 3 p.m. Thursday with the Rev. Jack Hyland officiating. Interment will be at Town Line Cemetery, Enfield. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to West Enfield Baptist Church. Donations may be left at the funeral home. For an online guest register and to leave written condolences, please visit www.clayfuneralhome.com.