Cornelia D. Sapiro

Portland - Cornelia(Connie) D. Sapiro, 95, of Portland passed away on January 19, 2012.

Cornelia was born on October 21, 1916 , the daughter of William H Derry and Ethel Towle Derry. Cornelia grew up on Munjoy Hill with her sister Lucia and brother William who predeceased her. She graduated from Cathedral High School as salutatorian at the age of 16. She attended Marygrove College in Detroit on a full scholarship. She was an accomplished pianist. After college she held various jobs in Portland, finally taking a position as an administrator in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately she was stricken with multiple sclerosis and returned to Portland where she started her recovery. She moved St. Petersburg, Florida on the advice of her doctors where she completed her recovery. During World War ||, she married Lester E. Sapiro in Camp Parks, California in May of 1944. Lester predeceased her in 2007. Their first son Lee was born in July of 1945, and they all moved back to Portland six months later. Their second son Edward was born in 1947. After children were in school, she returned to work as a child welfare worker with the State of Maine. While in that position she received a scholarship to acquire a Masters in Social Work at Boston University in 1965. She continued as a social worker retiring in 1981.

She is survived by her sons Lee and Edward, daughters in law Mary Anne and Delia, grandchildren Robert and Jessica, great grandchildren, Elizabeth, Jason, and Peter and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Cornelia's honor to a charity of your choice.

Family and friends are invited to attend visitation 10:00 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at Jones, Rich, and Hutchins Funeral home, 199 Woodford St. Portland, followed by a service at 11:30 am. Interment will follow at 2:00 pm at the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta.

Arrangements are under the care of Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home 199 Woodford St. Portland, Me 04103

Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Cornelia's guestbook.