HAMPDEN – Ella G. Waitt, 80, wife of the late Albert E. Waitt, died May 15, 2011, at a Bangor hospital. She was born Oct. 27, 1930, in Bangor, the daughter of Leigh Philbrook and Kathryn (Casler) Gardner.
Surviving are three children, Stacy Waitt and James Randall of Brewer, Ann Waitt of Hampden and Sydney Ouellette and her husband, Kenneth, of Goshen, N.Y.; six grandchildren, Jennifer Leigh Castonguay, Anthony F. Puiia II, Matthew, Christopher, Taylor and Benjamin Ouellette; one great-grandchild, Garrett Castonguay; one brother, Fred L. Gardner and his wife, Arlene, of Augusta; a brother-in-law, W. Homer Richardson of Nashua, N.H.; a special cousin, Bernard Gardner and his wife, Phyllis, of Gorham; many beloved nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, Marjorie Richardson.
Ella spent her early childhood in Orono and summers in her beloved Dennysville. Her family moved to Augusta, where she graduated from Cony High. She then obtained her education in medical technology at Westbrook Junior College. Ella worked in Boston for a few years before marrying Albert and starting her family. She then returned to her career after her children were grown and worked at Eastern Maine Medical Center’s lab in phlebotomy and immunochemistry until her retirement in 1988. Ella had always been very involved in church throughout her life. As a young mother she was active at Wenham Congregational Church. When her family moved to Cumberland Center, she was a member of Cumberland Congregational Church with her growing family. During this time she was also active as a Girl Scout leader and consultant. She tirelessly devoted herself to her children’s competitive swimming. In 1974 she and her family moved to Orono and Ella became very active in Orono United Methodist Church. She enjoyed being a member of Mary Sturgeon Circle. She was a member of Esther Eyers Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. Ella also was a director and past president of Orono Health Association. Ella took great pride in being a founding member and board member of COPES, a hospice program, which is now known as Hospice of Eastern Maine. In 1986 Ella and Al moved to Levant and restored an old farmhouse and started Bittersweet Tree Farm. Ella was a member of Levant History Club and with her husband participated in the Town Charter Commission. After the death of her husband in 1996, Ella relocated to Hampden and became a member of Hampden Congregational Church. She enjoyed being a deacon, arranging flowers for the church, attending Bible study and participating in multiple committees for the church. Ella had many interests throughout her life – gardening and participating in Hamilton-Wenham, Mass., and Cumberland Center-Falmouth gardens clubs. She was a member of Maine Herb Society and loved taking the group trips throughout New England. Ella had great interest in studying her family genealogy with her cousin, Bernard Gardner and was a member of Dennysville Historical Society. Ella enjoyed her time spent at Field’s Pond Nature Center helping with tours of the Nature Center for local school children and bird watching. She was also a past president of Bangor Nature Club. In the past 15 years, one of Ella’s greatest loves was to travel and enjoyed trips to Europe, Canada and United Kingdom. In Ella’s leisure time, she loved quilting, stenciling, reading, listening to classical music and attending her water aerobics and yoga classes.
Family and friends may visit 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 299 Union St., Bangor. A memorial service honoring Ella’s life will be held 4 p.m. Friday, May 20, at Hampden Congregational Church, Main Road North, Hampden. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Westbrook. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make memorial contributions to Fields Pond Nature Center, care of Development Office, Maine Audubon, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, ME 04105 or Dennysville Historical Society, Dennysville. Condolences may be offered to her family at
www.kileyandfoley.com.