Gracie Vennell Letourneau

Gracie Vennell Letourneau, 85, a longtime resident of Sanford, passed away peacefully on March 10 at Gorham House in Gorham.Born in Limerick on August 8, 1924, the daughter of Harold and Annie Whitten, she was educated in Limerick and Sanford schools and worked at the Goodall-Sanford Textile Mills as a spinner and later in the payroll office.Gracie was a communicant of St. Ignatius Church; a convert with a strong faith in God.Her greatest joy was being a mother to her three girls. She cared for, protected, championed and loved her daughters with an unconditional mother's love. She was the best Mom!Gracie enjoyed making family scrapbooks with a photo for every occasion. She loved journaling and wrote poetry. She called them her "writings" and her family will treasure them always.She was also a good seamstress. She would make dresses for her girls as well as mother-daughter outfits, costumes for their dance recitals and for the town's Halloween competitions.In her later years she resided at Gorham House Cottage where she helped start a monthly newsletter and offered several of her "writings" for all to enjoy.Gracie had a warm, welcoming personality, and a kind word for everyone. She was a One-Woman Welcoming Committee at the cottage, greeting new residents and making them feel at home. Everyone that knew her loved her.Always appreciative of the care she received, two words Gracie would say consistently, several times every day until the end of her life were "Thank You."She was predeceased by her husband of 21 years, John Vennell who died in 1964, with whom she shared many happy years and three daughters, Janie, Judy and Gayle. She married Oliver "Pete" Letourneau in 1966, celebrating 32 years of marriage before his death in 1998. She was also predeceased by three sisters, Loretta Rankin, Dorothy Roberts and Flora Rondeau, a brother Hermann Whitten and a son-in-law Gerard Labbe.Surviving are her three daughters, Janie Labbe of Wells, Judy Howgate and her husband Barry of North Yarmouth, Gayle McDermott and her husband Jim of Colorado, a sister Phyllis Amero of Dover, NH, a brother Edward Whitten of Rochester, NH, 10 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Lafrance-Lambert & Black Funeral Home, 29 Winter Street, Sanford on Sunday from 2-4 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 11 AM at the Holy Family Church of St. Therse of Lisieux Parish in Sanford. Burial will follow in St. Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff at the Gorham House Cottage for the kindness and compassion shown to them and for the loving care Gracie received throughout her residence there, most especially in the last days of her life.Arrangements are under the direction of the Lafrance-Lambert & Black Funeral Home, 29 Winter Street, Sanford. Condolences may be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.