Shirley Ann Patnaude

1937 - 2011

Shirley A. Patnaude passed away peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, March 20, 2011, at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta. Loving and devoted friends Carlene Shank of Winslow and Judy Gregory of Fairfield were by her side.

She was born on February 11, 1937 in Vassalboro, Maine, the daughter of the late Wilfred and Lorette (Pooler) Patnaude. She graduated from high school in 1954. Shirley worked in electronics for 20 years and then several years as a continuous winder (CW) operator at Scott Paper Company (now known as Kimberly Clark) in Winslow, Maine, from where she retired in 1992.

She enjoyed her dogs Sassy and Lily as well as her many other dogs throughout her lifetime, her fish, driving to the Maine coast to eat lobster and collect rocks and driftwood, painting on slate, traveling with family and friends, daily visits to Tim Horton’s for coffee and chatting with friends and staff, gardening, canning tomatoes and pickles, eating tomatoes and toast, mustard pickles, and tacos, collecting odd trinkets, and telling crude jokes.

She was predeceased by her parents Wilfred and Lorette; stepfather James Gratto; maternal grandparents, Laffie and Annie Pooler; uncle Raymond and aunt Norma Pooler from Connecticut; aunt Arlene Giguere from California; cousin Rusty Pooler from California, and Sandra and Lisa Leclair.

She is survived by brother Jim Gratto and his wife Sandy of Murrieta, California; niece Tracy Gratto from Oregon who was Shirley’s “little treasure;” nephew Andy Gratto of Oregon; uncle Harold Kennedy and special aunt Rena Kennedy from Waterville; cousin Harold Cox; cousin Ray Pooler, his wife Sue, and their children Michelle and Mike; cousin Henry Giguere, cousin Paul Duplessie, siblings Donna Nadeau, Frederick, Richard, Peggy, and Robert Patnaude, and cousin and special friend Ida Robinson of Oakland.

In addition to Carlene and Judy, Shirley is also survived by Judy’s sons Jacob (his fiancée Liz Rollins) and Kristopher, Judy’s fiancé Paul and his daughters Atlanta and Lois, special friends Janelle Pomeroy and daughters Janet and Annette; Gail and Larry Gerard and Rod Boone, Marie Paradis, Elaine Farrell, Shirley Gratto, Gary and Linda Kitchin and their children Amanda and Andrew, godchild Steve Leclair, Charlene Benzing, Vickie Jansen, Karen Willette and the crew from the South End Café. Our apologies if there are other family and friends that we may have missed.

Shirley’s family and friends would like to thank Dr. Catherine Kimball, Dr. Eugene Charlebois, Debbie Labonte, and staff; Dr. Stapley and the staff of Inland Hospital; Cedar Ridge Rehab; Augusta Rehab; and especially Dr. John Smith, Dr. Nathan, Dr. Harmon, and all the nurses and staff in Critical Care and Palliative Care at MaineGeneral in Augusta for the very best care that we could have ever wanted for our beloved Shirley. Your compassion gave great comfort to her and her family and friends during this difficult time.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Shirley’s memory may be made to the Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Rd, Waterville ME 04901.

Arrangements by Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Waterville, Maine 872-7676. At Shirley’s request, there will be no visiting hours. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 at St. John the Baptist Church, 26 Monument Street, Winslow. There will be a small gathering at the South End Café, 35 Water Street, Waterville at 1:00 p.m. Spring burial will be announced at a later date.