ELLSWORTH and HAMPDEN – Josephine W. Lebrun, 90, passed away peacefully Feb. 26, 2011. She was born Jan. 6, 1921, in Big Springs, Tenn., the daughter of Henry and Ellen (Grubb) Wattenbarger.
Josephine was raised on a large farm in East Tennessee. At age 15, she took her first job as the local school bus driver. After high school, she attended the University of Tennessee before taking a job in Washington, D.C. In Washington, D.C., Josephine worked for the FBI during the J. Edgar Hoover administration. Josephine also had a distinguished career as a district sales manager for Avon in Maine, where she was honored as the top sales producer. She was also a very active member of Altrusa while she worked with Avon.
Josephine is survived by her daughter, Kathryn E. “Kay” Fitzgerald and her husband, William, of Traverse City, Mich.; son, Joseph H. Lebrun and his wife, Carolyn, of Ellsworth; four grandchildren, Curt Fitzgerald and his wife, Teresa, Rhonda LaPierre and her husband, Brett, Sharon Locandro and her husband, Ron, and Lori Cunningham and her husband, Derek; 10 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Irene Wattenbarger Kautz. In addition to her parents, Josephine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Edmond J.; grandson, John Eric Lebrun; and her brother, Henry Doyle Wattenbarger.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town, with the Rev. Bruce Stevens officiating. Interment will be afterward at Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor. In lieu of flowers, donations in Josephine’s honor may be made to the Lebrun Scholarship at Husson University, 1 College Circle, Bangor, ME 04401, Development Office. Notes of condolences may be left at www.birminghamfuneralhome.com.