GARDINER – Loralie Louise (Buker) Pushard, 98 of Gardiner, passed away at her home on Dec. 8, 2024. She was born on April 25, 1926, in Belfast, to Harold Griffin Buker and Florence Louise (Call) Buker.

After her mother’s passing when she was only 6-years old, Loralie spent lots of time with her grandparents, both on the farm in Dresden and in Gardiner. She attended Gardiner schools and graduated from Gardiner High School in 1945. She often stayed with her grandparents on Clinton Street, and it was there that she met her best friend, Grace (Pushard) Marston. Little did she know then that she would marry Grace’s brother, Donald.

Loralie and Donald Howard Pushard married on Aug. 30, 1946, and lived in the same home in Gardiner throughout their entire 74-plus years of marriage. Together they raised four sons and one daughter.

Loralie was a homemaker, always filling her home with laughter and delicious home-cooked meals and chocolate chip cookies and biscuits. She always made sure everyone had plenty to eat. In her leisure time, she enjoyed puzzles, crafts, sewing clothes, and knitting mittens for her grandchildren. She had fun camping with family and smelt fishing with her husband, Donald. Loralie attended many of her grandchildren’s sporting events, and even for some, gave them driving lessons.

Loralie was always very loving and supportive, and dedicated every moment of her life to her husband and family. Family meant everything, and she was always there through the fun times and sad times. She provided childcare for several of her grandchildren so their parents could work and was always willing to help out whenever needed. Loralie created a very special bond with all of her children and grandchildren, and to this day, they have the utmost love and respect for her. Her family was everything.

Loralie was predeceased by her husband, parents, daughters-in-law, Roxanna Pushard and Joan Pushard, grandson Jonathan Phillips, stepmother Annie Patrick, half-brother G. William Buker, stepbrothers Francis Patrick and Lewis Patrick, and stepsister Adeline Leister.

She is survived by her five children who were blessed to call her “Mom”: Donald, Mike, Thomas, Anthony, and Donna and her husband, Michael Phillips. She will be greatly missed by her 13 grandchildren who absolutely thought the world of her: Donald “Buddy” Pushard, Emma Quirion, Angie Franks, Shannon Baron, Shawn Pushard, Tim Pushard, Danielle Baron, Teresa Brown, Lisa Hart, Michelle Gagnon, Courtney Phillips, Justin Phillips, and Caitlin Mason. She also leaves behind 18 great-grandchildren: Owen and Leah Pushard, Tyler and Lauren Quirion, Wyatt Cooper, Fiona and Phoebe Pushard, Marissa, Sophia, and Trevor Baron, Evan Thibeault, Toni, Ripley, and Adie Hart, Haylee and Alexzander Gagnon, and Oliver and Kaia Mason, and three great-great-grandchildren, Leola Ray Adams and Kylie and Cooper Veilleux. Also surviving is her sister-in-law, Laura Buker. We all loved her so much and she will be greatly missed.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, December 16 from 2-4 p.m., at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Avenue in Gardiner. A spring graveside service will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery in Gardiner on Friday, May 9 at 11 a.m.

Arrangements and guidance are in the care of Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website: http://www.staplesfuneralhome.com.