Helen Bucknam Bridges

OAKLAND – Helen Bucknam Bridges, 79, passed away Feb. 5, 2020, surrounded by her loving family after a brief illness.

Born and raised in Oakland, Maine, she was the daughter of John and Gladys Bucknam. She married her high school sweetheart, Robert H Bridges, on May 12, 1962. They had celebrated their 50th year of marriage when Bob passed away in 2013.

A graduate of Williams High School, Helen worked at the Hathaway Shirt Factory until the birth of her children, when she became a stay at home mom. Upon her youngest entering kindergarten, she became a dishwasher, a cook and finally the director of school nutrition for the Messalonskee School District. She spent 30-plus years in the Messalonskee kitchen and had a hand in the design of the kitchen and cafeteria as it stands today. It was one of her biggest joys to feed her community’s children and school staff. Along with her husband Bob, she spent many afternoons passing out her home-made whoopie pies and milk to the Eagles Football Teams as they came up the field from their practices.

Helen and Bob spent their retirement years as snowbirds, winters in Summerfield, Fla., and summers in Oakland. Upon Bob’s passing, Helen remained in Maine to spend as much time as she could with family. Her happiest moments were when her children, grandchildren or great grandchildren came for a visit. As visits would end, her family would say “Love You” and she would respond “Love You More.”

She cherished the years she lived with her son, Ronald and her two grandchildren, Grace and Emmet and granddog, Rosie. When she moved in with her daughter, Lauryl, she missed seeing them every day, but had also been excited about her new home. Every visitor had to see her master bedroom suite with the rather large walk-in shower that her daughter had installed for her.

Helen is survived by her daughter, Lauryl Bridges of Oakland; her sons, Jeffrey Bridges and his wife, Tammy of Kingsbury Plantation and Ronald Bridges of Kingsbury Plantation; her grandchildren, Lauren Bridges Beveridge and her husband, Josh, Michael Bridges and his fiancé, Arian, Jessica Bridges and Meaghan, Hannah Thibault and her fiancé, Chris, Grace Bridges and Emmet Bridges; her great-grandchildren, Kody, Noah and Carter Bridges, Josephine Beveridge and Henry Robert Bridges; her brothers, Robert Bucknam and his wife, Sandra, Ronald Bucknam and his wife, Bonnie, and David Bucknam and his wife, Estelle; her brother-in-law, Wayne Weeks; her sister-In-law, Joan Bucknam; her special nieces, Wanda Weeks Heim, Tina Pelletier, Jessica Bucknam-Graten and Sarah Weeks-Weston; her brother-in-law, Keith Bridges and his wife, Sharon; and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces and many close friends.

Helen was predeceased by husband, Robert H Bridges; her son, Timothy; her grandson, Ethan; her mother and father, John and Gladys Bucknam; her brother, John Bucknam, Jr; her sister, Joyce Pelletier and her husband, Leonard; her brother, Steven “Bucky” Bucknam; her twin sister, Ellen Weeks; her niece, Barbara Pelletier; and her nephew, Gary Bucknam.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for the spring.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Wheeler Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 26 Church St., Oakland.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website at www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com.

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