Muriel Sladen

Muriel Joyce Whitcomb Sladen, 80, of Sanford, passed away on Sunday October 29, 2006 at the Maine Medical Center in Portland. She was born in Dover, New Hampshire on March 5, 1926, daughter of Arthur and Florence (Maurice) Whitcomb.She graduated from Sanford High School in 1944 and from Regis College, Weston, MA in 1948. She received her Bachelor's degree in Romance Languages and attended the Universities of Maine and New Hampshire in postgraduate work.Mrs. Sladen taught in the Sanford School System for 35 years. During which time, she was the instigator of teaching French in the public schools during the 1950's. In her later years she taught Spanish at Sanford High School.She was on the Board of Directors at the Goodall Library and also the Sanford YMCA. She was a 50 year member of the Sanford College Club, a member of the National Education Association, the Maine Teachers Association and the York County Retired Teachers Association.Mrs. Sladen volunteered at the H.D. Goodall Hospital and read to the patients at Maine Stay Nursing Home. She had several students in the Literary Plus Program.She was an avid reader, enjoyed working crossword puzzles and traveled quite extensively in the islands of Caribbean, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.Mrs. Sladen was a communicant of St. Ignatius Church where she was a lector for over 20 years and also worked in their thrift shop.She is predeceased by her husband of 40 years, George F. Sladen who died in 1988 and her only daughter, Muriel Ann passed away in 1981.She is survived by four sons, Michael of Sanford, Mark of Saco, Jeffrey of Charlestown, MA, and Daniel of Shapleigh, one sister, Elaine Whitcomb Thompson of Gretna, FL, 2 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, and 4 great grandchildren.Visiting hours will be on Wednesday November 1st from 2-4 and 6-8pm at the Carll -Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street in Springvale. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 10am at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in Sanford. Burial will be at Oakdale Cemetery.Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society New England Division, Inc., 1 Main Street, Suite 300, Topsham, Maine 04086.Condolences may be expressed by using the tab to the left.>