CONSTANCE ELAINE BRAYLEY (CUSHING)
Constance Elaine Brayley (Cushing) went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, February 18, at the Gosnell House surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born in Portland on March 21, 1927, the eighth of nine children of Benjamin H. and Florence (Woodman) Cushing. After graduating from Portland High School, she attended the University of Maine in Orono.
Living winters in Portland where her father worked for the city, Connie and her four sisters and four brothers always waited excitedly for summer to arrive as they could move to Long Island, Maine. Each summer season they would rent the island's one room school house (now a gift shop) and create "bedrooms"; by hanging blankets from the rafters.
At 14 years old, Connie met the "love of her life", Warren "Dout"; while hanging out at the island variety store. As she would later tell her children, she knew immediately that this was the man she wanted to marry. And she did just that on June 1, 1947. They were married at the Chestnut Street Methodist Church which is now the Grace Restaurant. 65 years later Connie and Warren celebrated a anniversary meal in the very same sanctuary.
In the early 1970's they built a cottage on the island and eventually built a year-round home there. When discussions began concerning the island seceding from the city of Portland to form its own town, Connie and Dout took an active role in the effort which was ultimately successful in 1993.
When the town undertook a campaign to raise funds for a new school addition which would include a new library, Connie helped in the fundraising effort and would subsequently serve as Library Director for a number of years. She loved her duties at the library as she had the opportunity to chit-chat with island residents as well as summer visitors.
Connie was a bit of a dilettante artistically. Over the years, she painted (oil & watercolors), knitted, sewed clothing, caned chairs, braided rugs, played tennis, kept a daily journal, began violin lessons at the age of 80, and through it all was a voracious reader.
Although Connie's interests were many and varied, her life took on a new meaning when she became a Christian at age 27. Since that time, her focus has never wavered - that of sharing the joy of her faith with those around her. Whether on the ferry to and from the island, at home, at the doctor's office, in the hospital room, wherever she was it would not take long for the conversation to turn to spiritual matters and her love for her Lord. Her early Christian years were spent learning about the Christian life and the Bible at First Baptist Church in Portland. In 1975, she and Dout were among the founding members of Christchurch on Congress Street in Portland where she served as Sunday School teacher, member of the Church Council as well as in other capacities. When Connie and Dout moved to the island full time she was instrumental in founding the Upper Room Fellowship, a small non-denominational church group where she shared a spiritual lesson each Sunday morning.
Connie will be greatly missed by her devoted husband, Warren; two daughters, Denise Johnson and husband Craig of Westbrook, Betsy Brayley of Hope, Maine and Vero Beach Florida; her sister Gwendolyn Dobbs of Virginia Beach, VA; her brother and wife, Donald and Camilla Cushing of Haverhill, MA; beloved grandchildren Christopher Johnson, Heather DAuteuil, Sadye Clark, Sam Johnson, Nicole Souter McAllister, Erika Souter, Renee Souter Cross and Dylan Souter; as well as, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the South Portland Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave. South Portland, Maine. An informal reception to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Gosnell Hospice House for their kind and exceptional care they gave to Connie. Funeral arrangements are made by Coastal Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Long Island Community Library, 7 Gorham Road, Long Island, ME 04050
[Coastal Cremation Services, Portland, Maine (http://www.coastalcremationservices.com/Content/Sidebar/FOV2-00014E83/S00A92E3C-00A935A4?FormID=96&listview)]
Constance Elaine Brayley (Cushing) went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, February 18, at the Gosnell House surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born in Portland on March 21, 1927, the eighth of nine children of Benjamin H. and Florence (Woodman) Cushing. After graduating from Portland High School, she attended the University of Maine in Orono.
Living winters in Portland where her father worked for the city, Connie and her four sisters and four brothers always waited excitedly for summer to arrive as they could move to Long Island, Maine. Each summer season they would rent the island's one room school house (now a gift shop) and create "bedrooms"; by hanging blankets from the rafters.
At 14 years old, Connie met the "love of her life", Warren "Dout"; while hanging out at the island variety store. As she would later tell her children, she knew immediately that this was the man she wanted to marry. And she did just that on June 1, 1947. They were married at the Chestnut Street Methodist Church which is now the Grace Restaurant. 65 years later Connie and Warren celebrated a anniversary meal in the very same sanctuary.
In the early 1970's they built a cottage on the island and eventually built a year-round home there. When discussions began concerning the island seceding from the city of Portland to form its own town, Connie and Dout took an active role in the effort which was ultimately successful in 1993.
When the town undertook a campaign to raise funds for a new school addition which would include a new library, Connie helped in the fundraising effort and would subsequently serve as Library Director for a number of years. She loved her duties at the library as she had the opportunity to chit-chat with island residents as well as summer visitors.
Connie was a bit of a dilettante artistically. Over the years, she painted (oil & watercolors), knitted, sewed clothing, caned chairs, braided rugs, played tennis, kept a daily journal, began violin lessons at the age of 80, and through it all was a voracious reader.
Although Connie's interests were many and varied, her life took on a new meaning when she became a Christian at age 27. Since that time, her focus has never wavered - that of sharing the joy of her faith with those around her. Whether on the ferry to and from the island, at home, at the doctor's office, in the hospital room, wherever she was it would not take long for the conversation to turn to spiritual matters and her love for her Lord. Her early Christian years were spent learning about the Christian life and the Bible at First Baptist Church in Portland. In 1975, she and Dout were among the founding members of Christchurch on Congress Street in Portland where she served as Sunday School teacher, member of the Church Council as well as in other capacities. When Connie and Dout moved to the island full time she was instrumental in founding the Upper Room Fellowship, a small non-denominational church group where she shared a spiritual lesson each Sunday morning.
Connie will be greatly missed by her devoted husband, Warren; two daughters, Denise Johnson and husband Craig of Westbrook, Betsy Brayley of Hope, Maine and Vero Beach Florida; her sister Gwendolyn Dobbs of Virginia Beach, VA; her brother and wife, Donald and Camilla Cushing of Haverhill, MA; beloved grandchildren Christopher Johnson, Heather DAuteuil, Sadye Clark, Sam Johnson, Nicole Souter McAllister, Erika Souter, Renee Souter Cross and Dylan Souter; as well as, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the South Portland Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave. South Portland, Maine. An informal reception to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Gosnell Hospice House for their kind and exceptional care they gave to Connie. Funeral arrangements are made by Coastal Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Long Island Community Library, 7 Gorham Road, Long Island, ME 04050
[Coastal Cremation Services, Portland, Maine (http://www.coastalcremationservices.com/Content/Sidebar/FOV2-00014E83/S00A92E3C-00A935A4?FormID=96&listview)]
CONSTANCE ELAINE BRAYLEY (CUSHING)
Constance Elaine Brayley (Cushing) went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, February 18, at the Gosnell House surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born in Portland on March 21, 1927, the eighth of nine children of Benjamin H. and Florence (Woodman) Cushing. After graduating from Portland High School, she attended the University of Maine in Orono.
Living winters in Portland where her father worked for the city, Connie and her four sisters and four brothers always waited excitedly for summer to arrive as they could move to Long Island, Maine. Each summer season they would rent the island's one room school house (now a gift shop) and create "bedrooms"; by hanging blankets from the rafters.
At 14 years old, Connie met the "love of her life", Warren "Dout"; while hanging out at the island variety store. As she would later tell her children, she knew immediately that this was the man she wanted to marry. And she did just that on June 1, 1947. They were married at the Chestnut Street Methodist Church which is now the Grace Restaurant. 65 years later Connie and Warren celebrated a anniversary meal in the very same sanctuary.
In the early 1970's they built a cottage on the island and eventually built a year-round home there. When discussions began concerning the island seceding from the city of Portland to form its own town, Connie and Dout took an active role in the effort which was ultimately successful in 1993.
When the town undertook a campaign to raise funds for a new school addition which would include a new library, Connie helped in the fundraising effort and would subsequently serve as Library Director for a number of years. She loved her duties at the library as she had the opportunity to chit-chat with island residents as well as summer visitors.
Connie was a bit of a dilettante artistically. Over the years, she painted (oil & watercolors), knitted, sewed clothing, caned chairs, braided rugs, played tennis, kept a daily journal, began violin lessons at the age of 80, and through it all was a voracious reader.
Although Connie's interests were many and varied, her life took on a new meaning when she became a Christian at age 27. Since that time, her focus has never wavered - that of sharing the joy of her faith with those around her. Whether on the ferry to and from the island, at home, at the doctor's office, in the hospital room, wherever she was it would not take long for the conversation to turn to spiritual matters and her love for her Lord. Her early Christian years were spent learning about the Christian life and the Bible at First Baptist Church in Portland. In 1975, she and Dout were among the founding members of Christchurch on Congress Street in Portland where she served as Sunday School teacher, member of the Church Council as well as in other capacities. When Connie and Dout moved to the island full time she was instrumental in founding the Upper Room Fellowship, a small non-denominational church group where she shared a spiritual lesson each Sunday morning.
Connie will be greatly missed by her devoted husband, Warren; two daughters, Denise Johnson and husband Craig of Westbrook, Betsy Brayley of Hope, Maine and Vero Beach Florida; her sister Gwendolyn Dobbs of Virginia Beach, VA; her brother and wife, Donald and Camilla Cushing of Haverhill, MA; beloved grandchildren Christopher Johnson, Heather DAuteuil, Sadye Clark, Sam Johnson, Nicole Souter McAllister, Erika Souter, Renee Souter Cross and Dylan Souter; as well as, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the South Portland Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave. South Portland, Maine. An informal reception to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Gosnell Hospice House for their kind and exceptional care they gave to Connie. Funeral arrangements are made by Coastal Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Long Island Community Library, 7 Gorham Road, Long Island, ME 04050
[Coastal Cremation Services, Portland, Maine (http://www.coastalcremationservices.com/Content/Sidebar/FOV2-00014E83/S00A92E3C-00A935A4?FormID=96&listview)]
Constance Elaine Brayley (Cushing) went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, February 18, at the Gosnell House surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born in Portland on March 21, 1927, the eighth of nine children of Benjamin H. and Florence (Woodman) Cushing. After graduating from Portland High School, she attended the University of Maine in Orono.
Living winters in Portland where her father worked for the city, Connie and her four sisters and four brothers always waited excitedly for summer to arrive as they could move to Long Island, Maine. Each summer season they would rent the island's one room school house (now a gift shop) and create "bedrooms"; by hanging blankets from the rafters.
At 14 years old, Connie met the "love of her life", Warren "Dout"; while hanging out at the island variety store. As she would later tell her children, she knew immediately that this was the man she wanted to marry. And she did just that on June 1, 1947. They were married at the Chestnut Street Methodist Church which is now the Grace Restaurant. 65 years later Connie and Warren celebrated a anniversary meal in the very same sanctuary.
In the early 1970's they built a cottage on the island and eventually built a year-round home there. When discussions began concerning the island seceding from the city of Portland to form its own town, Connie and Dout took an active role in the effort which was ultimately successful in 1993.
When the town undertook a campaign to raise funds for a new school addition which would include a new library, Connie helped in the fundraising effort and would subsequently serve as Library Director for a number of years. She loved her duties at the library as she had the opportunity to chit-chat with island residents as well as summer visitors.
Connie was a bit of a dilettante artistically. Over the years, she painted (oil & watercolors), knitted, sewed clothing, caned chairs, braided rugs, played tennis, kept a daily journal, began violin lessons at the age of 80, and through it all was a voracious reader.
Although Connie's interests were many and varied, her life took on a new meaning when she became a Christian at age 27. Since that time, her focus has never wavered - that of sharing the joy of her faith with those around her. Whether on the ferry to and from the island, at home, at the doctor's office, in the hospital room, wherever she was it would not take long for the conversation to turn to spiritual matters and her love for her Lord. Her early Christian years were spent learning about the Christian life and the Bible at First Baptist Church in Portland. In 1975, she and Dout were among the founding members of Christchurch on Congress Street in Portland where she served as Sunday School teacher, member of the Church Council as well as in other capacities. When Connie and Dout moved to the island full time she was instrumental in founding the Upper Room Fellowship, a small non-denominational church group where she shared a spiritual lesson each Sunday morning.
Connie will be greatly missed by her devoted husband, Warren; two daughters, Denise Johnson and husband Craig of Westbrook, Betsy Brayley of Hope, Maine and Vero Beach Florida; her sister Gwendolyn Dobbs of Virginia Beach, VA; her brother and wife, Donald and Camilla Cushing of Haverhill, MA; beloved grandchildren Christopher Johnson, Heather DAuteuil, Sadye Clark, Sam Johnson, Nicole Souter McAllister, Erika Souter, Renee Souter Cross and Dylan Souter; as well as, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the South Portland Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave. South Portland, Maine. An informal reception to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Gosnell Hospice House for their kind and exceptional care they gave to Connie. Funeral arrangements are made by Coastal Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Long Island Community Library, 7 Gorham Road, Long Island, ME 04050
[Coastal Cremation Services, Portland, Maine (http://www.coastalcremationservices.com/Content/Sidebar/FOV2-00014E83/S00A92E3C-00A935A4?FormID=96&listview)]
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