Margaret Arleen (Cook) LaFlamme passed as gently as she lived into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 18, 2018 just before 5 p.m. She was comforted and attended by family, friends, and staff to her last soft breath.
Margaret (Nana) was born July 6, 1927 in Athens, Maine, a daughter of Victor Ernest Cook and Leona (Allen) Cook. She enjoyed a bucolic childhood with her three brothers and three sisters, and liked to point out she was in the middle.
She reminisced about her life wistfully; the main themes were her strict, but loving Christian parents and the joys and travails of rural living. We loved the story about her bumping along in the makeshift school bus-really a truck with an adjusted bed, that delivered her over hill and dale to school.
Margaret married Reginald Clayton LaFlamme on May 6, 1955 in Waterville, Maine. She glowed when she described an evening early in their marriage when they danced in New York City to a live performance of Peggy Lee.
They were blessed with two sons: Russell was born in Paducah, Kentucky and Brian in Stamford, Connecticut. She fondly recounted the early years of their adventures, but was glad to raise the boys in Maine near her beloved parents and siblings. Reggie was her great love and she listed his traits she observed in her sons and grandchildren: good looks, intelligence, an intuition of how things worked, and artistic inclinations. Margaret possessed an incredibly authentic work ethic that caused her to be appreciated, respected and promoted. She was a trained hairdresser, but supported her sons at Cole's Express, K-Mart, The King's Daughters' Home in Bangor and Reny's in Dexter. We reveled in her accounts of rearing two boisterous, active, growing brothers. She sometimes expressed concern for activities or games she missed due to work, but we promised her anyone who spent time with her sons as men...knew she raised them well.
Her most joyful work era was as a "Grammie" for the Foster Grandparent Program. Over a 13 plus year span she helped teachers teach children in Dexter, Gardiner, and briefly in Lisbon. When she lived in Gardiner and ventured downtown Nana was a Rock Star. Children from the Laura E. Richards School would gravitate from the places of business, the library, the park, etc. for hugs and words of endearment.
She was a doting, fully involved Nana to Julie, Brian and Alexandra.
Her support, sense of fun, encouragement and abundant love has been unwaning. Nana has imparted to two year old and three plus months old Xavier an intense love that will inform his future- and for his part- he looked upon her with a perfect acceptance he saw reflected in her eyes.
The years she spent in Gardiner and Lisbon were a great blessing to the boys and their families. Nana was there worshipping and serving in our churches, at the recitals, parties, graduations, weddings, etc. in an even more intimate way. She often told Debbie and Connie that she had always wanted daughters...and now had them. In the last months she has needed tender and great care, but we never forgot the years of tender and great care we all received from her.
Nana is survived by her sons: Russell LaFlamme and wife Debbie of Richmond, Maine. Their daughter Julie Bickford and husband Jay and son Xavier Bruce Bickford of Bowdoin, Maine. Their son Brian D. LaFlamme and wife Wendy of Topsham, Maine. Brian P. LaFlamme and wife Connie of Gardiner, Maine. Their daughter Alexandra M. LaFlamme of Providence, Rhode Island. Sisters: Eleanor Hart of Brewer, Maine and Ruth MacDougall of Dexter, Maine. Sister-in-law: Delie Cook of Skowhegan, Maine. She is predeceased by her sister: Virginia McKenney of Skowhegan and by her brothers: Richard Cook of San Antonio, Texas; Norman Cook of Skowhegan, Maine; and Paul Cook of Bangor, Maine. She loved her many nieces, nephews and the families they created.
