Madeleine F. Gillings

Madeleine Francoise Lorenzo Gillings, 90, of Sanford, died March 25 at the Southern Maine Health Care Sanford Campus.She was born (as Madeleine would say) in a French Colony Overseas on July 23, 1923, the daughter of Francisco and Isabel (Sanchez) Lorenzo and grew up there.She came to the United States with her infant son in 1946 on a Red Cross ship for war brides and became a naturalized citizen in 1964. She loved her adopted country and always felt blessed to call America home.Madeleine was employed over the years with the former Goodall-Sanford Textile Mills and with Jagger Mills.She was a communicant of the former St. Ignatius Church and a member of the Daughters of Isabella. She was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. She enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family. For a time, she volunteered at the Newton Center in Sanford.As Madeleine's life unfolded, no matter what her circumstance, she always presented herself as a proud and classy lady. In her last years she was cared for by her son Gerard Labbe and after his death in 2009, by her granddaughter Kim Andrews.In addition to her son, she was predeceased by her husband Edward Gillings in 1995 and by her brothers Eugene Lorenzo, Joseph Lorenzo and Jean Noel Lorenzo.Survivors include her daughter, Vivian Turgeon of Springvale, her daughter-in-law Janie Labbe of Wells, 9 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandsons.A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 31 at 10:00 AM at the Holy Family Church of St. Therse of Lisieux Parish, 66 North Avenue, Sanford. Burial will be later in the spring at St. Ignatius Cemetery, Sanford.Madeleine's family wishes to express their appreciation to the staffs of Greenwood Center and Southern Maine Health Care-Sanford for the care and support they showed to Madeleine and her family these past months.Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale. Condolences can be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.