Maine Cremation Care

01/21/2026

Walter Davy

Richard "Dick" DavyAfter a long journey with Alzheimer's disease, Dick died peacefully on the morning of January 17, 2026, with his wife Liz at his side.

Born on September 1, 1937, to Ralph Thomas and Elizabeth Booher Davy, he was one of five children growing up in Broomall, Pennsylvania.

Dick lived an active life and had a deep love for sports and the outdoors. He was especially devoted to lacrosse and volunteered as both a coach and mentor to hundreds of students throughout the years. Together Dick and Liz embraced every season-biking, hiking, golfing, and cross-country skiing. He was an exceptional gardener and a wonderful cook.

Dick is survived by his loving and grateful wife of 34 years, Liz; his daughter Ashley Donayre and her husband Jay, and grandchildren Olivia and Ryan; his daughter Jennifer Davy; and his son Richard Christopher Davy and his wife Beatriz, and grandson Matthew.

The marriage of Dick and Liz created the "Davy Bunch," and he is also survived by Liz's children: Jeane Baltzersen; John Baltzersen and his wife Michelle; and Paul, and Paul's daughter Hazel.

Other survivors include his sisters, Elizabeth Jane Davy and Margaret Davy; Linda Fallon, the mother of his children; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

The family is forever grateful for the love and support shown by family members, friends, and neighbors-and most especially for the care and compassion of the staff at The Grande at South Portland and Compassus Hospice.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Dick's life on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 885 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth. A reception will immediately follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Maine Chapter, 383 US-1 , Scarborough, Maine 04074 (www.alz.org/maine), to support awareness, research toward a cure, and assistance for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's.

View Walter Davy's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/20/2026

Beverly Berg

Beverly M. Berg passed away peacefully on January 9th, 2026, at Woodlands Memory Care in Bridgton, Maine surrounded by her three daughters.

Born in Waterville on June 12th, 1942, to her parents, Harry C. Brown and Annie Catherine Brown. Beverly grew up in Brewer and graduated from Brewer High School in 1960. She later attended Husson College, pursuing a degree in accounting and went on to work for several businesses in the Portland area.

Beverly was an avid reader and a devoted caretaker to the many poodles she had throughout her life. She adored her daughters, but her grandchildren were her most cherished. She loved spending time with all of them and hearing about their activities and adventures.

Beverly is survived by her daughters, Kate Miller and Joel Campbell of Westbrook, Karen Perkins and husband Randy Perkins of Windham, and Krissy Berg of New Gloucester. Her grandchildren: Alicia Tripp, Stephanie Farnham, Mikayla Van Zandt, and Zachery Greaton and five great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased in death by her parents, Harry and Kay Brown, sister Linda and husband Ole Berg.

Beverly's family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the staff at Woodlands Memory Care for their exceptional care over the past three years and Andwell Hospice for their care and support in her final days.

There will be no visitation, and a private burial will be at Brooklawn Memorial Cemetery in South Portland.

View Beverly Berg's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/13/2026

Beverley Roderick

Beverley A. (Bailey) Roderick passed away on January 12 at The Enclave Assisted Living Facility in Scarborough, Maine.

Beverley was born in Portland to Vivian M. Boyd Bailey (Turcott) and Chester Carleton Bailey. She went to school in Portland and graduated with a BA degree from University of Southern Maine.

She served in the United States Army. Upon returning home from Europe she met and married Vincent Roderick and remained married for 50 years living in Scarborough until his death in 2018. She worked at Fairchild Semiconductor for many years.

Beverley enjoyed gardening, knitting, reading, puzzles and loved to sing and dance at Sable Lodge where she lived for 5 years before moving to The Enclave. She never lost her love for learning or her sense of humor.

Beverley is preceded in death by former husband Vincent and her parents, her sister Gail Peabody and brother James Bailey. She is survived by her sisters Laura Tyrrell (husband James Tyrell) and Eileen Hamilton (husband James Baldwin) as well as one brother, David Turcott, who resides in Connecticut. Niece and nephews include Mitchell Hamilton, Teana Quinlan and Edward Peabody.

Beverley's family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to the outstanding medical staff at the VA geriatric clinic in Portland as well as the caring staff at the Enclave in Scarborough and to all the indispensable services provided by Beacon Hospice staff.

View Beverly Roderick's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/13/2026

Pamela Gormley

Pamela Christine Gormley (née Conn), 72, of Brunswick passed peacefully from the embrace of her family into the arms of her Creator on January 7, following a long battle with complications from congestive heart failure.

Pam is survived by her husband of 47 years, Mal; her eldest child, KJ, and spouse Ian; her daughter Quinn and husband Ezra; and her grandson, Terrence. She is also survived by her siblings Debbie, Cyndee, Ricky, and Alan, as well as a large and loving chosen family-her "strays"-people she gathered throughout her life who needed a mom or a family, and whom Pam welcomed with open arms.

Pam was born and raised in the Bronx. She grew up on Morris Avenue near 183rd ST, in a two-bedroom, fourth-story walk-up, where her grandfather was the superintendent, her father was a milkman and, later, a gas station owner. At the same time, her mother worked in various retail positions and as a church musician. Pam excelled in school and was a feared presence on neighborhood and school basketball courts. She spent much of her free time at the New York Public Library.

Her love of books led Pam to her first career at The Reader's Digest headquarters in Pleasantville, N.Y., where she worked nights in the company's state-of-the-art computer center while putting herself through college at the City University of New York. It was at the Digest that she met Mal, sharing lunches and falling for one another. Mal's career included being a commercial pilot and editor.

Anyone who worked with Pam knew she was a force of nature; her time in the company's massive data systems led to a rapid rise through the organization, culminating in her role as Senior Vice President for Logistics and Marketing Systems, with extensive worldwide travels in that capacity.

As Pam told the story, the day after Quinn was born, her doctors informed her that she had terminal melanoma and only months to live. She replied simply, "No." She had 32 more years. Pam and Mal, who married in 1978, uprooted their lives and relocated to Damariscotta, Maine, in 1994, where they focused on raising their young children and building a home together. When Pam later went looking for work again, she did so with a familiar goal-to, as she often put it, "be a useful engine."

That search led her to what she considered the crowning achievement of her professional life: Skidompha Public Library. Pam worked on the capital campaign that made the current library possible and was appointed Executive Director shortly thereafter, a role she held for two decades. Pam believed deeply in the power of libraries to meet basic human needs, celebrate the arts and humanities, and foster connection. She viewed the library as both the community's living room and as part of a larger calling to serve as "custodians of society."

Pam's tenure at Skidompha was marked by innovation, achievement, and deep affection for her colleagues. Under her leadership, the library received numerous awards, including the highest honor in the field, the National Medal for Library Service. Pam traveled to the White House to receive the medal from First Lady Laura Bush in 2008.

Pam's commitment to community extended far beyond the walls of the library. She served on nonprofit boards across the Midcoast, from Heartwood Theater Company and Lincoln Theater to the Carpenter's Boat Shop and Stepping Stones. Her leadership was often sought by organizations navigating periods of challenge or pursuing ambitious growth. Pam also served as a member and later chair of the Great Salt Bay School Board in the early 2000s, where she oversaw significant expansion and construction projects and helped secure an inclusive benefits package that extended coverage to same-sex domestic partners of school employees.

Pam's drive for service was rooted in her faith. Her faith life was centered at Second Congregational Church in Newcastle for nearly 30 years, where she played many roles-cooking Wednesday night suppers, chairing the Deacons, leading the church through its Open and Affirming process, and ringing handbells in the Bell Choir, which brought her particular joy.

Pam was a person of deep wonder, which she explored through art, music, and travel. She visited at least 27 countries across five continents, attended the Munich Olympics, summited Machu Picchu, stood on the continental divide in Iceland, and traveled through Palestine. After retirement, she undertook a six-week road trip around the United States in search of "all the elephants I can find," reflecting her lifelong love of the creatures. Many of these travels were shared with friends and family, especially her eldest child, KJ.

Music was a constant in Pam's life. The daughter of a church organist, she was an accomplished musician herself, though she insisted she preferred being a spectator. She raised her children to treat orchestra concerts the way others treat football games. Pam played handbells (mastering four-in-hand), piano, and organ-teaching keyboard skills to her daughter Quinn-and was an all-city musician on bass and trumpet in her youth. A proud alto, she also sang in many choirs.

Pam was not one to remain still. Retirement did not suit her for long, and she soon embarked on what she called her "encore career," leading a nonprofit that placed unhoused teenagers with host families and supported them in completing high school and transitioning to adulthood. Through this work, by happy accident, Pam met her grandson. When Terrence, a young person in need of emergency placement, was placed with Quinn and Ezra, he quickly became family. Pam delighted in celebrating his adoption this past July and described Terrence as "the frosting on the cake of her life."

Pam was a devoted and loving mother. She and Mal made childhood joyful and curious while fostering ambition and confidence in their children. Though she sometimes needed a moment to catch up on the right words, Pam embraced the work of affirming and raising two sparkly children with gusto. Her home was often a refuge for other young people who needed a mom who loved them for who they were.

Pam leaves behind a remarkable legacy of love, service, faith, and accomplishment-carried forward in the institutions she strengthened, the communities she served, and the many people whose lives were made better because she was in them.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Pam's memory to the Mabel Wadsworth Center in Bangor, ME.

A funeral will be held at the 2nd Congregational Church of Newcastle, ME at 2pm on January 24th.

View Pamela Gormley's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/09/2026

Judith Knoll

Judith Ward Knoll October 31, 1936 - December 27, 2025

Judith (Judy) Ward Knoll, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully at Piper Shores in Scarborough, Maine. Judy will be remembered for her fun-loving spirit, devotion to family, deep faith, and genuine kindness. She valued personal connection and had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen and known. She took special care to learn the names, families, and stories of everyone she came into contact with.

Judy was born in Oakland, California on October 31, 1936 to James Edgar and Marie Brown Ward. She grew up primarily in California, though her childhood included time in Maryland during the war. She graduated from Berkeley High School in 1954 and attended UC Santa Barbara during its early years, before leaving college to marry the love of her life, David (Dave) Knoll, in 1958. In 1967, Judy and Dave moved their growing family from California to Sudbury, Massachusetts, where Dave began a long career with Digital Equipment Corporation. She was the heart of a home they built together, lovingly raising their children and fostering community wherever they lived. After Dave's retirement in 1993, they returned to Berkeley, where Judy delighted in hosting friends and relatives. Judy and Dave shared 55 wonderful years together before his passing in 2013, building a life grounded in faith, family, community, and joyful gatherings.

Following Dave's passing, Judy moved back east to be near much of her family and found a welcoming community at Piper Shores. She was active at Piper Shores, organizing community art exhibitions, serving on the Interior Finishes Committee and the Finance Committee, and making dear friends. She also volunteered at Reiche School in Portland where her granddaughters were students.

Judy's Christian faith and civic responsibility were guiding principles in her life. She was an active member of Sudbury Presbyterian Church - serving as Deacon, Youth Group Leader, and mission trip participant. Upon moving back to Berkeley she found her church home at First Presbyterian Church Berkeley, and at both churches she nurtured friendships that lasted a lifetime. In recent years Judy worshipped virtually with South Church in Andover, MA. Judy supported and volunteered for social causes she cared deeply about, including women's issues, education, and helping the underserved in her local community. She volunteered on Barack Obama's first presidential campaign and remained an informed, thoughtful citizen throughout her life, faithfully following the news and engaging with it daily. She delighted in the wit of the Borowitz Report and thoughtfully read Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American, valuing both humor and history as tools for understanding the present.

Family gatherings were at the heart of Judy's life. Family dinners with lively conversation were common. In Berkeley, she and Dave created a welcoming closet sleeping nook in their small craftsman home complete with picture books and teddy bears for grandchildren to visit and build memories of San Francisco adventures, walks to the Berkeley Rose Garden, and holiday celebrations. From camping in Yosemite in her early years to exploring Acadia after moving east, she and Dave dreamt of having a summer home where family could gather and create cherished memories. The lake cottage in Tuftonboro, NH has been this special retreat for 50 years and three generations.

From a young age, Judy was full of playful spirit. She liked mischief, April Fools' Day pranks on her kids, and dressing up as a witch on her birthday. She found joy in playing competitive board games and was an avid puzzler, always having a new puzzle on a table at family gatherings, and later at Piper Shores. In her later years, bridge with close friends and cribbage matches with her children and grandchildren became beloved pastimes. She was known to keep a tally sheet tucked away and would never fail to mention her winning streak, even at 89 years old.

Judy was an avid reader and lifelong learner. She enjoyed reading about diverse world cultures and any historical fiction, and she would share this passion by reading aloud interesting excerpts to willing listeners. She joined and often hosted her Berkeley High School book group, "Bookies," and stayed connected with these dear friends over Zoom when she moved to Maine.

Judy was always busy with a hobby or a project: Chinese cooking classes with Dave, oil and watercolor painting, curating unique collections, antique furniture refinishing, decoupage, cross-stitching samplers, chair caning, gardening, wallpapering and decorating, and even residing the Berkeley house well past an appropriate age for being on a ladder. When a beloved but diseased tree needed to be removed from the Berkeley front yard, she and Dave hatched a plan to have a chainsaw artist carve a momma bear and cub with the bottom eight feet of tree trunk and then they built a beautiful arts and crafts redwood fence around it. Her creativity and can-do attitude to tackling any project, with Dave at her side, was a constant feature of her full life. And when their projects were finished, she and Dave spent years helping their children renovate their homes.

Family traditions, generosity, and gift-giving were central to Judy's life. She delighted in creating and sharing unique, hand-made items, from sewn Christmas gifts for close friends to carefully hand-stitched quilts and knitted sweaters for each of her grandchildren. She made sure to celebrate every birthday with a chocolate potato cake - a tradition cherished by her ten grandchildren - and found great joy in creating lasting memories through Christmas scavenger hunts for a special gift and 4th of July festivities at the lake. For over 30 years, Judy devoted herself to being "Nana," babysitting, cheering at school events, and spoiling her ten grandchildren with unconditional love whenever she could.

Judy loved adventure and planning trips that became treasured family memories. She and Dave traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and she found particular joy in taking each grandchild on a special Grandparent-Grandchild trip when they turned 12-13. For their 50th wedding anniversary, Judy planned a 2-week celebratory trip to Umbria, Italy, with Dave, their children and grandchildren, which everyone still fondly remembers.

On Christmas Day 2025, Judy opened the much anticipated 2026 Knoll Family calendar created for her each year by a granddaughter. As she looked at each month's photos she counted her 10 beloved grandchildren in the family photos and reminisced about having just celebrated her 89th Birthday at her favorite restaurant. She was full of gratitude for her many blessings, often saying "I am blessed! We have such a wonderful family."

Judy's life was a tapestry of family, faith, friendship, and adventure.

Her legacy carries on through her four children, Michael Knoll (Noreen Beckie), Jennifer Bouchard (Page), Karen Knoll (Carlos Puyo), and Scott Knoll (Melissa), and ten grandchildren: Shane Bouchard (Helen Bae), Jessica Moreno (Marco), Hannah Knoll, Elizabeth Puyo (Connor McFadden), Tatiana Bouchard, Theodore Knoll, Carlos David Puyo, Phoebe Knoll, Sophie Knoll, and Molly Knoll. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

A private family burial will take place in Oakland, California, next to Dave. A Celebration of Life will be held later at South Church in Andover on June 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to South Church in Andover or the charity of your choice.

View Judith Knoll's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/06/2026

Josephine Donnelly

Josephine "Jo" Donnelly

Jo Donnelly was barely out of high school in the early 1950s when she discovered Latin music. She and her Brooklyn cohorts danced at the Hollywood Terrace, the Roseland and Palladium in Manhattan, and the great Catskills resorts, Kutsher's, the Concord, and the Nevele. She followed the orchestras of Perez Prado, Joe Cuba, Mongo Santamaria, and the two Titos - Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente. So good was her dancing, that Puente sometimes jumped from the stage to join her.

Jo Donnelly was born in Brooklyn, New York in the depths of the Great Depression in 1934. Her father, "Rocco," was an ace carpenter, working for the WPA. Her mother, Susie, was a seamstress and factory hand. Despite the crushing times, and five siblings to feed, food was never scarce. After all, as Mario Puzo observed, they were Italian.

"Depression" was a key feature of Jo's life as she was bipolar. Her working class parents weren't equipped to understand the trappings of her illness, which would later disrupt her marriages. Worse still were the drugs prescribed to manage the symptoms, which left her unable to work, zombie-like, and prone to obesity. Even so, Jo was a high-spirited woman with an iron will to live and zest for culture; she was a movie buff, a fan of truth-telling comics like Woody Allen and George Carlin, and a lover of the "race music" she knew as a teen.

Jo's handicap didn't prevent her from helping those worse off - today she'd be known as an empath. While living in an SRO in Brooklyn, she befriended a woman with severe mental illness, bringing her back to the fold. Jo did this many times over, in a number of locales; New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, and most recently, Maine. She had a knack for adapting to new environments, but not without drawbacks. Picture an attractive New York woman in Durham, North Carolina, at the height of racial strife in the 1960s, telling locals to "stop fighting the Civil War."

Jo's attitude though, was anything but dismissive. She was fascinated by Southern stories. She read - and could expound on - William Faulkner, her favorite author. His novels, and the black friends she made in the projects, set the stage for the work of James Baldwin. She strove mightily to understand the struggles around her, reflecting her own, a quality she passed to her son Jim.

She was a remnant of the old stalwart New York, before Brooklyn became an extortionate art colony, before the streets teemed with the homeless (a condition she'd known firsthand), and "Billionaire Row" would've been heresy. It was a New York of milkmen and longshoremen, elevator ops and Woolworth clerks, shoeshine boys and keypunch girls, soda jerks and Pullman Porters. It was the New York of pushcarts and shopkeepers, "the German who owned the bakery, the Jew who owned the candy store, the Italian who owned the deli."

She was a bank teller.

She made dresses from patterns in McCall's Magazine.

She had a sharp, streetwise sense of humor.

She spent time in institutions.

She loved only those relations that were worthy.

Jo is survived by her sister Marie, her daughter Kymberly, her son Jim and his partner Anna, numerous nieces and nephews, among them Susan, Janet, and Anthony (Palmisano), Donna and Lori (Gilberti), and godson Robert (Severino). She was predeceased by her father Russell and mother Susie, and her siblings, Georgina, Salvatore, and Robert, and her beloved niece Gina. In honor of her late feline friends Lena and Moondoc, donations can be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, or your local Humane Society. And equally, in her memory, please agitate for the disadvantaged, for those left behind.

07/18/2023

Are you preparing a memorial for a loved one? We offer a wide range of beautiful and sustainable urns to honor your loved one. Check out our latest blog to learn the benefits of eco-friendly urns and explore sustainable options at Maine Cremation Care.

Explore Eco-Friendly Urn Options For Maine Summer Memorials https://www.mainecremationcare.com/blog/explore-eco-friendly-urn-options-for-maine-summer-memorials/

07/11/2023

Eco-Friendly Urns for Summer Memorials ☀️

Biodegradable Urns: Made from materials like recycled paper, gelatin, tree bark, or bamboo, these urns naturally decompose over time.

Tree Urns: Transform ashes into nutrients for a tree or plant, creating a living tribute to your loved one. Tree urns are affordable and environmentally safe.

Water Urns: Dissolve and release ashes into the water, symbolizing a peaceful transition. They are available as floating urns or specifically made for summer memorials by the shore or on lakes.

Maine Cremation Care offers a diverse range of biodegradable urns to honor your loved one. Visit pages 43-47 of our urns and keepsakes catalog on our website to browse our selection.

07/05/2023

The beach can be a beautiful and meaningful location to honor and celebrate the life of a loved one. If you are considering holding a beach funeral or memorial service, check out our latest blog for ceremony ideas, activity suggestions, and tips.

Holding A Beach Funeral Service: Celebrating Life By The Ocean https://www.mainecremationcare.com/blog/holding-a-beach-funeral-service-celebrating-life-by-the-ocean/

06/27/2023

Have you recently lost a loved one?

In our newest blog, we discuss some helpful strategies to cope with grief during the summer season, allowing you to find comfort, support, and healing during this time.

Coping With Grief Through Summer | Southern Maine Cremation https://www.mainecremationcare.com/blog/coping-with-grief-through-summer/

06/20/2023

FAQ: What are my arrangement options?

When making cremation arrangements, we want you to be in a space that makes you the most comfortable. For this reason, we offer flexible arrangement options including: ⬇️

Electronic Arrangements- All of the arrangements may be made over the phone and through emailed electronic documents. This is the most popular option.

In-Person Arrangements- Arrangements may be made in person at a location of your choice such as your home.

Are you in need of cremation services for a loved one? Call our 24/7 number to set up a time to make arrangements.

06/13/2023

Coping with grief through the summer ☀️

Losing a loved one is an incredibly difficult experience, and navigating through grief can be challenging, especially during the summer months when there are many events holidays.

Here are six helpful strategies for coping with grief during the summer season ⬇️

-Plan ahead for events
-Spend time outdoors
-Take time to relax and recharge
-Stay hydrated
-Find a way to honor your loved one's memory
-Join a grief support group
-Remember that things will get better

Feel free to call our 24/7 number if you need any further assistance or have any questions.