WATERVILLE – Ida Louise (Gould) Varney passed away peacefully at Oak Grove Center in Waterville on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 after a long and well-lived life. She was 94 years old.

Ida was born in Waltham, Mass. on June 1, 1927, the eldest child of James K. and Maude L. (Reynolds) Gould. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Waterville and four more siblings were born. Ida was educated in Waterville schools, and as the eldest, spent much of her free time caring for her three brothers and sister.

Ida spent more than 20 years at Diamond Match in Oakland and then nearly another 20 at C.F. Hathaway in Waterville where her attention to detail brought her to the Sample Room. Her job was to perfectly prepare the shirts for presentation, examining every seam and clipping every stray thread.

She married Silas Daniel Varney on March 4, 1950 and they bought a house on the Nowell Road in Winslow, known by everyone as “The Farm.” They divorced in 1962. While Ida never had any children, she took care of all her nieces and nephews from time to time and they adored spending time at The Farm with her, camping at Abnaki Campground or travelling New England visiting family.

Ida was predeceased by her brothers, James K. Gould of East Hartford, Conn., Burton I. Gould of Winslow, and Alfred L. Gould of Waterville. She is survived by her sister, Mary Veilleux, formerly of Winslow and currently a resident at Oak Grove Center in Waterville. She is also survived by two favorite sisters-in-law, Ana Gould of Elgin, Texas, and Ellen Gould of Waterville.

There will be an internment ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 3 p.m. at Pine Grove Cemetery in Waterville. All attendees are asked to bring a favorite story of her humor, kindness and love with them.

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