Madeline Thaxter

Madeline was born January 24, 1923 in Portland daughter of the late Roy and Alice Hanson Gillespie. She attended Deering High School where she met her future husband, Charles Thaxter.

Madeline married Charles in 1939, raising two children in Portland until moving their young family to South Freeport.

She was an involved parent and followed her children’s sporting events with joy and enthusiasm. She devoted her life to her family and friends.

After raising her family, she worked at the Freeport Shoe Factory, later working and retiring from L.L. Bean.

Madeline loved the water and spent many wonderful days with her young family swimming in South Freeport Harbor. Later on they bought a cottage on Pettengill Pond in North Windham, when that house was sold, Madeline got her wish for an in ground pool right in her own back yard in Freeport.

There they hosted many family “pool parties” through out the twenty five years they owned it. She taught her grandchildren how to swim there and was always the first one to try the water as soon as the ice melted. She would let the family know the pool was “open” for swimming. We would shake our heads knowing it was actually still freezing cold.

She had the opportunity to travel later in her life, going to Las Vegas, Colorado, shooting the rapids there when she was in her seventies, and going to Florida to visit Disney World.

Besides her parents and husband Charles of 54 years, she was predeceased by her brothers; Roy, Douglas and Howard and her sister; Doris Ricker.

She is survived by her daughter; Carol Morse and her husband Richard of Freeport, her son; David and his wife Gwen of Ridgefield, CT, her sister; Lois Olson of South Portland, six grandchildren, six great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Her family would like to thank the Hawthorne House staff for their attention and kindness to Madeline. Her quick wit kept them on their toes. Thanks also to Beacon Hospice for their compassionate and attentive care.

Funeral services will be at a later date in May, to be announced.

Memorial contributions may be made to Beacon Hospice, Inc.

54 Atlantic Place South Portland, ME 04106

Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com for additional information and to sign Madeline’s guest book.

Arrangements are being handled by the Lindquist Funeral Home One Mayberry Lane Yarmouth.