Sylvia M. Douglass

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Sylvia M. Douglass

SOUTH PARIS — Sylvia M. Douglass, 86, of South Paris passed away on February 2, 2011 peacefully at her home after a long courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Lovell on November 20, 1924, one of nine children to George and Frances Andrews Mills. She married Herbert Smith in January of 1942; they had four children, Faye, Rodney, Eugene and Keith. Mr. Smith died in June of 1946, leaving his wife with four small children. She met Lawrence Douglass in 1947 and married in 1961. Mr. Douglass passed away February 3, 1977.

She was employed at area manufacturing companies, retiring from Miller Shoe in 1994. She loved baking for family and friends; her specialty was apple pie and breads. Crocheting was her passion. Over the years, she made hundreds of lap robes and donated them to area nursing homes. She enjoyed camping at Mac’s camping area and playing bingo. She liked to volunteer at Oxford County Extension and the Stephens Memorial Hospital thrift shop. She also enjoyed creating many things from plastic canvas. She was notorious for making all the Christmas decorations and ornaments for the tree at Rustfield Village where she had resided for the past 12 years, before moving in with her granddaughter Kim and her husband Dean. There she enjoyed being in the gardens, watching the birds and having Dean cook a red dog on the open fire. At family gatherings, and there were many, "Nana" was the life of the party. She was proud of her large family.

Mrs. Douglass is survived by three of her children, Faye MacDonald and husband Mac of Poland and Zephyrhills, FL, Rodney Smith and wife Lorraine of River Junction, VT and Keith Smith of Dorchester, NH; daughter-in-law, Carolee Maselli of Chiefland, FL; 12 grandchildren, Scott, Vanessa, Shane, Tammy, Tanya, Todd, Jeff, Gary and Randy and three special granddaughters, Wanda James of Oxford, Kim Ayotte of South Paris and “her baby” Candy Meziani of Bridgton; 24 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandsons, Jacen and Jeremiah of Florida and “her boy” Lennox of South Paris and many, many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; a son, Eugene; a brother, Robert; a sister, Josephine; her husbands, Herbert Smith and Lawrence Douglass and a grandson, Mark Bumpus.

Funeral services were held on Friday, February 4, at the First Congregational Church, 17 E. Main St., South Paris. Interment will be in the spring at Porter Village Cemetery in Porter. In lieu of flowers donations in her memory can be made to the First Congregational Church or Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, PO Box 819, Lewiston, ME 04240. Arrangements are under the direction of Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 45 Main St., South Paris. On-line condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.