FARMINGTON – “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine; you make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know dear how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.”

Avis Bacon Hart, our sunshine, passed peacefully from this Earth on Oct. 30, 2019, at the age of 90. Avis was born Nov. 1, 1928, the third child of Phillip and Genieve Bacon. Growing up on a small farm in Rome, Maine, she learned the value of hard work, but also, with a gleam in her eye, the value of having fun. Love of family was vital in those early days where she was surrounded with a large family, including her sister Doris and brother Wesley. Eventually, her family moved to Farmington where Avis graduated from Farmington High School.

In 1946, after graduating from high school, Avis was introduced to Thomas Hart, a handsome Army Air Corpman from Cape Cod. They fell in love and were married that same year. History was in the making as they went on to raise their nine beloved children. Avis and Tom were married for 54 years until Tom passed in 2000. Life wasn’t always easy raising a large family and money was often tight, but there were always delicious homemade meals on the table and a warm home. Everyone learned how to raise a garden, make pickles, deep fry doughnuts, and get along with large groups of people as the house was always full. You could always count on a big batch of homemade baked beans at every gathering and the smell of baked bread would fill the house. Holidays were cherished celebrations with mountains of food, gifts, and laughter filling the house. In the summer, camping, and trips back to Tom’s birthplace on Cape Cod became a family tradition that is still carried on and enjoyed today.

Aside from being a stay at home mom, from time to time, Avis was also a working mom. She worked for many years at the Farmington State Theater, bringing home bags of left-over popcorn for the family at the end of the night. She was a long-time employee at Fleet Bank, and also worked for McCormick spices, traveling from store to store with Tom as her driver in their seafoam green Ford Taurus. After retiring, Avis continued to work part-time at Reny’s in Farmington. Avis was a big fan of the Red Sox, and loved watching games with her family.

The importance of a good education and service to our country were important, and all nine of Avis and Tom’s children went on to either college or to serve in the military. Avis was so very proud of all her children and delighted in their successes. She was also a very proud grandmother and great-grandmother, always anxious to hold and cuddle the next newborn.

Avis is survived by her children, Dean Hart of Farmington, Joline Hart of Farmington, Alan Hart and Heidi Dulong of Farmington, Lee Hart and Laurie of South Sutton, N.H., Karen Hart and Steve Soucy of Smithfield, Jeffrey Hart and Melissa of Rockport, Barbara White and Jeff of Haverhill, Mass., Neil Hart and Kellee of Farmington, Suzanne Walsh and Ken of Waterville. She is also survived by 22 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; nephew, Vint Bacon; and a large extended family. She could tell you the names and birth dates of each one of her 52 grandkids. Her love will live on in all of them and she will be greatly missed.

A celebration of Avis’s life will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at Dan and Scott’s Cremation and Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington, ME 04938. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a service beginning at 1 p.m. All are welcome. A private burial service will follow.

Anyone wishing to make donations in her name, please consider the

Iris Network

c/o Development

183 Park Ave.

Portland, ME 04102

or

Friends of Nobska Light

P.O. Box 183

Falmouth, MA 02541

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