Evelyn Francena Adams McElrath

Evelyn Francena Adams McElrath

A life Story spanning nearly 9 decades

Evelyn Francena Adams McElrath, 89, passed Tuesday December 23, 2014 in Skowhegan surrounded in love by her family having lived a full and vibrant life.

She was born February 10, 1925, in Kingsbury plantation, Maine on a lumber camp owned by her father, Albion Adams, and her mother, Mary (Severence) Adams. Evelyn liked that her birth certificate was handwritten by her mother and registered in Mayfield in the spring when they were able to get out of the lumber camp. They moved to Norridgewock, Maine in 1928, the same year the bridge was built across the Kennebec River.

Evelyn graduated from Norridgewock High School in 1941 at age 16, skipping 1st and 3rd grades and too young for college. She worked at Norrwock shoe in Norridgewock, Maine until 18 when old enough to attend the Maine General Hospital School of Nursing, to pursue her second passion. While in nursing school, Evelyn was in the Cadet nursing program. She graduated in 1947 and practiced nursing until 1999 when retiring from Redington – Fairview General Hospital. Her nursing career spanned five decades, several states and touched many lives.

Directly out of nursing school, she worked as an operating room nurse at the Redington Hospital. Then went to Whitefield, NH hospital as operating room supervisor where she met and married the father of her seven children, Edward McElrath in 1948. They moved to New York City where he was in college. She worked at the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn as an emergency room nurse. Then moved to North Carolina, home of the McElrath family, where she worked at St. Joseph’s , Memorial Mission, Veteran’s Moore General , and City Memorial Hospitals.

Evelyn returned to Norridgewock, Maine and worked at the Redington Hospital when they merged with Fairview Hospital and became Redington-Fairview General Hospital (RFGH), July 1, 1969. She is credited as the first person to move from the Redington to the Fairview location. Evelyn’s RFGH nursing career spanned 37 years, April 15, 1961 – July 30, 1999. She was the Birthing Center Peri-natal Nurse Manager and credited as having founded the center. Evelyn moved RFGH from a sterile birthing event to a family bonding, holistic experience that included Maine’s first Lamaze classes engaging fathers in the birthing process, child birth education and newborn care. Evelyn was known to walk into the nursery, pick up a crying baby and lull them instantly. She loved babies and they knew they were in competent hands. As nurse manager, she was a formidable leader. Evelyn held herself to a high standard and expected no less from those she managed. She believed in continuous learning, encouraged innovation and insisted on top quality patient care.

Evelyn’s first passion was her family. Every member of the family adored her. Evelyn’s children will cherish their many adventures together. The annual York beach camping trip, where she would dress them in bright yellow smiley face t-shirts so she could find them on the crowded beach. She would pack the car with camping gear, coolers, seven kids and always fishing poles, to places like Campobello Island, the Maritimes, Niagara Falls, Quebec, and Thousand Islands, NY. The trips included stops at state parks, campgrounds, picnic areas, and always lots of singing, games, and laughs.

Evelyn had a special relationship with each family member. Every grandchild has a memory of camping at York beach, fishing, reciting poetry, trips and holdiays with their beloved Nana.

Evelyn is survived by:

Six daughters and son-in-laws; Stephanie Breingan, Mary Frances and Jerry Vashon, Barbara and Stephen Zambelli, Rebecca and Stephen Doody, Roxanne Dove and Sherrill Leckband; and one daughter-in-law, Mary McElrath.

Twelve adoring grandchildren: Steven Breingan, Brenda Cox, John McElrath, Heidi Edgecomb, Deanna Gustine, Brandon Lord, Stephen Zambelli, Jeremy Vashon, Angela LaRue, Krista Putnam, Kayla Leckband and Athena Evelyn Bonney; fourteen great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews to whom she was known as Aunt Evie.

Evelyn was preceded in death by: Her only son, Samuel Earl McElrath; her parents, Albion and Mary Adams; and eleven brothers and sisters.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday December 27, 2014 at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, River Rd. Norridgewock, with Rev. Nathan Richards officiating. Burial will be held later in the spring.

Arrangements are under the care of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine.

The family would like to thank the many family and friends for their outpouring of love and kindness. A special thanks to the Maine General Hospice staff for their thoughtfulness and care.