WATERVILLE – Maria Troutman, 80, passed away peacefully on July 12, 2020, at her home.

The oldest of three children, she was born on March 18, 1940, in Salerno, Italy to Dr. Nicola and Margherita Messina. In 1952, the family relocated to Panama, where she became a bookkeeper for the United Fruit Company commissary (later Chiquita Brands).

By 1970, she had moved to Boston to study fashion merchandising. A college dormmate read a personals ad placed in a Boston paper by a gentleman from Bangor and insisted that he sounded perfect for Maria. She pestered her until Maria wrote a reply and escorted her to the mailbox to ensure it was sent. After a brief long-distance courtship, Maria married the love of her life, James Moran Troutman, on Feb. 13, 1971, in Brewer. She soon bore three children, James, Michelle and Paul.

Maria worked closely with her husband to manage their various business ventures in Brewer, including an electronics repair shop (Auto Radio and TV Service), an automotive air conditioning and glass repair shop, rental housing, and a decorative light bulb business. Her husband’s untimely death on their fifteenth wedding anniversary left her devastated but she continued to raise their children and managed the repair shop until 1991.

Maria was small in stature but strong in spirit. She was known for preferring to walk everywhere for her daily errands. She loved to watch classic movies, do crossword puzzles and bake bread. She later moved to Waterville, where she remained active, making a remarkable recovery after a heart attack and a triple bypass in 2006. She continued to walk regularly until congestive heart failure eventually slowed her pace.

Her survivors include her son, James Troutman and wife Sarah of Montville, daughter Michelle Troutman, son Paul Troutman; brother, Paul Messina of Annapolis, Md., nephew Mike Messina, of Baltimore, nephew David Messina and his wife Kendra Perry of San Mateo, Calif.; and sister, Elena Messina and husband Rick Beagle and their son Quinn Beagle of Baltimore. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Nicholas Troutman of Pittsburgh, Pa., Benjamin Troutman and Jonathan Troutman of Montville.

The funeral service will be private in attendance for the family. A live stream of the service will be available 1 p.m., Thursday, July 23, 2020 at BrookingsSmith.com/LiveStream for those who wish to attend remotely.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.

Those wishing to remember Maria in a special way

may make gifts in her memory to the

American Heart

Association,

Maine Affiliate, Inc.

51 U.S. Route 1, Suite M

Scarborough, ME 04074

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