Erma W. Elwell

BENTON – Erma W. Elwell,of Benton, Maine and formerly of Unity, Maine, passed away peacefully with her daughters by her side at Glenridge Nursing Home on July 18, 2023. Born in Troy, Maine on January 13, 1925, she was the daughter of Gustave and Olive (Roberts) Ward. She graduated from Unity High School as Salutatorian Class of 1943. On June 5, 1943, she married Robert Elwell and they started their Jersey dairy farming career together. In 1945, she and Bob purchased the Mussey Property in Unity and continued farming until 2011.

Erma was an excellent seamstress, enjoyed knitting, reading, watching the birds, all of her cats, dogs, and cows. She was a member of The Rebekahs, Waldo County and Maine Farm Bureaus, SnowDusters Snowmobile Club (logging 1,500 miles one winter!), and Unity Union Church. Each summer, she would have a large garden, from which she canned vegetables for the winter, would pick, and freeze strawberries for Bob’s beloved strawberry shortcake with homemade biscuits and Jersey whipped cream. She also raked hay, fed and raised the Jersey calves, and chased after parts for the broken farm equipment.

Erma was predeceased by her loving husband, Robert, her parents, her sister, Helen, and brother, Morris, her son-in-law, Wayne Lemieux, her step-granddaughter, Sarah Watson, and two step great-great granddaughters, Isabella Lemieux and Katherine White.

Erma is survived by her daughters, Ruth Lemieux of Benton, Maine and Rachel Garnett and her husband, Wayne, of Big Sandy, Texas. Surviving grandchildren are Jamie Whitcomb and his fiancé, Tammy Turner, and Amy Whitcomb Brown and her husband, Craig, all of Unity, Maine; step-grandchildren, Adam Lemieux and his wife, Tania, and James Lemieux and his partner, Stacy. Surviving great-grandchildren are Dustin Whitcomb and Brooke Larrabee and her husband, Christopher, Jordan Brown, Caleb Brown, Makayla Brown, Julia White, and Nicholas Lemieux; great-great-grandchildren, Elaine and Atarah Larrabee, Lucas and Jacob Glidden, several nieces, and dear friends, Dennis and Claire Smart.

At Erma’s request, there will be no visitation or funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests contributions in Erma’s memory be made to: Waldo County Humane Society, P. O. Box 479, Belfast, ME 04915-0479.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests contributions in Erma’s memory be to: Belfast Waldo County Humane Society

PO Box 479

Belfast, ME 04915