Thelma Mae Landry

Sanford, MaineThelma Mae Landry, 78, died December 8, 2001 at The Maine Stay Nursing Home, Sanford, after living nine years with cancer.She was born April 8, 1923 in Pittsburgh, PA., the daughter of Frederick and Maude Groves Babbs. She attended school in Pittsburgh and then worked as a secretary in an insurance firm in that city. In 1949 she moved to Sanford with her mother and sister to be with her extended family in the area. In 1951 she married Rene C. Landry of Sanford, a WWII Veteran and founder of Landry's Furniture Company. With Mr. Landry's untimely death in 1962, Mrs. Landry assumed leadership role in the furniture business and ran it until 1975.While running Landry's Furniture Co., Mrs. Landry also worked as a teacher's aide at the kindergarten level in the Sanford Schools and later became a substitute teacher. She took great delight in seeing her former students as they grew.From 1981 to 1988 Thelma worked in The Town Treasurer's Office in Sanford. Following her retirement in 1988 she and her sister Mildred Fobes fulfilled a life long dream by touring Alaska including a visit above The Arctic Circle.Mrs. Landry was adventuresome and enjoyed water and snow skiing with her children and then later in life doing activities with her grandchildren.Mrs. Landry spent 50 summers at her camp on Mousam Lake when she would swim almost daily. She was an accomplished water skier, able to slalom ski until her mid seventies. She also roller bladed with her grandchildren.She was an active member of The North Parish Congregational Church in Sanford, serving terms as a deacon, clerk and trustee. She had a lifelong love of music and sang in the church choir for 25 years.She was predeceased by her husband Rene C. Landry who died in 1962 and by her middle Donald who died in an auto accident in 1975. Surviving are two sons David E. a physician in Waterville and Daniel P. a physician in Yarmouth, their wives who were loving daughters-in-law, Diane and Deborah, 5 grandchildren Jaclyn, Kelly, Kimberly, Samuel and Christopher, and Mrs. Landry's sister and close friend Mildred Fobes of Sanford. A memorial service is planned for Friday December 14th at 2:00 PM in North Parish Congregational Church, Sanford. A reception will follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The North Parish Congregational Church, Abiding Memorial Fund 893 Main Street Sanford, ME. 04073.