BAREFOOT BAY, Fla. and Whitefield – Tabitha Lisa Blair, 41, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla., after succumbing to COVID pneumonia, following periods of diabetic ketoacidosis.Tabitha was born in Augusta, Maine, on Sept. 9, 1979, the third child of Terry L. and Sally A. (Bowden) Blair. “Tabi,” as her family and childhood friends new her, attended Whitefield Consolidated School and graduated from Erskine Academy in 1997. She received a B.A. from the University of Maine at Augusta and was also enrolled in the horticulture program at Oregon State University. Tabitha worked as a Florist at Shaw’s in Augusta and at the Gardiner Area Boys and Girls Club before beginning her career as an educator, teaching at Somerville and Chelsea schools. She found her stride as a fourth grade teacher at Treasure Coast Elementary School in Sebastian, Fla. She was known as a no-nonsense teacher, who loved bright colors, fun decorations, and especially pink flamingos. As one of her students phrased it, Ms. Blair was the “G.O.A.T.” at math!Tabi grew up as a “Mainer” playing various sports, hunting, camping, and swimming in the cold waters of the ocean or mountain streams – but always craved warmer weather. Ultimately, it was her love of sand and forever sunny skies that pulled her to Florida in 2016. Despite loving her new home, it was important to her that her ties to Maine remained strong, and she returned for several weeks each year with her children, Emma and Luke. They always created a “Summer Fun Bucket List,” which included new adventures and fond traditions, including the annual Blair Family trip to Dolly Copp Campground in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.Tabi enjoyed gardening and secretly dreamt of one day working at Disney World’s Annual Flower and Garden Festival. She spent many hours planting and pruning gardens as part of the Garden Club at TCE and at her parents’ homes in Maine and Florida. She shared a special bond with her parents, including the same sense of humor as her dad. She was a fantastic cook, mastering all the family favorites -lasagna, specialty party dips, and the world’s best whoopie pie (a recipe handed down from her mother). Tabi also loved to read. Perhaps her favorite days were those soaking up the sun and salty air on the beach with a book in her lap, while her kids played in the surf. Ms. Blair is survived by her children, Emma C. Blair and Luke M. Blair; her parents, Terry L. and Sally A. Blair of Whitefield; her brother, Terry L. Blair, Jr. and his wife Terri of Whitefield; her older sister, Tamara L. Blair Kirk and her husband, Robert of Augusta; and her younger sister, Anne Dora T. Bishop and her husband, Christopher of Whitefield; as well as 11 nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at the Sheepscot Valley Community Church located at 25 Pittston Road, Whitefield, Maine.Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant Street, Augusta. Condolences, stories, and photos may be shared at http://www.plummerfh.com.

Copy the Story Link