WINTERPORT – Regina Marie Lavin, beloved daughter of Catherine Kilgallon Lavin and John Thomas Lavin; and sister of Catherine A. Smith, John E. Lavin, Christopher M. Lavin and Timothy J. Lavin, died Friday, June 10, 2011, in her 64th year, at a Bangor hospital. Regina received the best of care by the medical staff in the intensive care unit. The family is grateful she was at “St. Joes.” The family knows it was a comfort to her. Her niece, Caitlin Kilgallon Lavin and Cait’s husband, Ben Allison Jr., were at her bedside during the time of her peaceful death. Regina had requested and received her final communion, and the night before her death went to sleep from which she did not awaken, knowing that she is greatly loved as her brother, John, had been there and niece, Jena Hutchinson; and Mary Kate Smith and other family and friends, from Bangor to Belize to Germany were in constant communication about Regina through the family at her bedside.
Regina became ill Tuesday, June 7, while at work at Penobscot Job Corps where she had been employed for the past 23 years. Her medical conditions were too severe for Regina to fight through and as the family chooses to believe, she is safe with Grammy Kate. Regina graduated from John Bapst and Husson College, and became a master teacher at Job Corps. Regina was a worker. Girl Scout merit badges by volunteering at St. Joseph, candy striper at Eastern Maine Medical Center, cashier at Columbia Market and Liggetts, or breaking that glass ceiling as a women in management as a female management trainee for K-Mart, and becoming a store manager in Maryland and New Hampshire, then back to Bangor to live with our mother and start work at the Job Corps. Regina believed in the Job Corps mission of education and success for those who worked hard. Regina talked about how fulfilling her career with the students was, and how welcomed and important she was made to feel by the staff at Job Corps. Regina made sure she called each student Mister or Miss to show her respect for them as learners and required she be addressed similarly as a sign of respect for the educators at Job Corps. Regina made it to the White House as part of sharing the success of the good organization she was devoted to, and had lots of stories about the girl from Essex Street who got into the White House. Our sister loved travel, whether to Belize to see Lydia and Tim’s children, to see Andy and his family, or Bar Harbor with Gram and Chris and his wife, Sandi, with whom Regina had a particularly close relationship being “two peas in a pod” at times, dressing up her little niece like a doll with Grammy’s support for the shenanigans or discussing the latest news about Jena, Jeff and their son, Joe, or Mary Kate or Eddy and how they would sort it all out. Regina went off on her solo adventures to Scotland and parts unknown, and loved to be mysterious about it, but eventually we got the “Regina Travelogue.” She had restless feet, but was always, always there for her family. Regina was a blessing to us with her kindness as a person and personal actions that demonstrated her love for her family and friends. Regina lived what she believed always ending any bit of concern or vexation for us with, “Well you know, they are doing the best they can. You know!” Yes we know,
Regina, you did the best you could for us up to the very end. You know?
In keeping with Regina’s wishes there will be no services at this time. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden.