Maureen Kelley Perkins

Freeport- Maureen Kelley Perkins, 90, passed away on Saturday, July 29, 2023 in Brunswick. The daughter of William and Josephine (Senecal) Kelley she was born in Belfast on October 2, 1932. At the age of 6 her family moved to Freeport, then South Freeport. As a child she enjoyed jumping in to swim in the Harbor in South Freeport. This was something she talked about often. As a child she loved to spend time with her grandmother in Stockton Springs. After graduation from Freeport High School in 1950 she lived with her grandmother for a little while and got a job in Belfast working as a “soda jerk”. While working there, she met Henry W. Perkins Jr. and not long after they were married on June 14, 1952. They lived in Yarmouth for a few years before they purchased their home in 1959 and settled to raise their family in Freeport.

Maureen’s faith was very important to her and she was very active at St. Jude Church in Freeport. She was a youth leader in the church, served as a Eucharistic minister and also belonged to the church’s couples club. She was a stitcher at Eastland Shoe for many years until it closed. After that she decided to go back to school and earn a college degree in her 70’s. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Southern Maine and worked in that field well beyond retirement age. She volunteered and helped raise funds for the Children’s Home for Little Wonderers in Waterville and volunteered at Preble Street Soup Kitchen in Portland. She also baked often for charitable events whenever called upon.

Maureen was predeceased by her husband Henry of 47 years, and by her brother Dennis Kelley.

She is survived by her children, Henry W. Perkins III of California, Tamara Watson and her husband David of Brunswick, Adele Ryder of Freeport, William V. Perkins Sr. and his wife Sandra of Freeport, Roslyn Dicks and her husband Trammell of Florida, and Natalie Perkins and her partner Sheri Gardiner of Florida, her six grandchildren Natasha Richards, Byron Watson, Cathy Ryder, Heather Ryder, Cassondra Nowell, and William V. Perkins Jr. and her great grandchildren Michele, Mariah, Maddison, Jordan, Meera, Elodie, Oliver, Henry, Tobias, Josephine, Penelope and William III. She is also survived by her sister Nina Minnihan of New Hampshire, and many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Sunday, August 6, 2023 from 2-4 PM at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, August 7, 2023, at 10 AM at Sacred Heart Church, 326, Maine St. Yarmouth . Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yarmouth.

Donations may be made in Maureen’s memory to Preble Street Soup Kitchen 55 Preble St. Portland ME 04101, or https://www.preblestreet.org/donate/ where she was a longtime volunteer.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.LindquistFuneralHome.com for the Perkins family.