Ann Marie (Whitney) Padham

MADISON – Ann went home to her Heavenly Father Jesus Christ Sunday, May 18, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born July 16, 1948, in Lewiston, Maine, to Leslie Gorham Whitney and Bertha Margaret (Williams) Whitney.

Bingham was her first home. She shared memories of visiting elderly ladies in town. The family relocated to Solon when Ann was 8, they operated the Meader Farm and later moved to the South Solon farm. Ann worked alongside her siblings doing barn chores, and whatever was asked of her.

As the oldest of seven children, she was her mother’s helper and remembers walking to town with siblings to get supplies. Ann recalled walking home from school to do chores before participating in sports.

Ann was married to Richard E. Padham February 1966 – February 2008, together they raised four children.

The family settled on York Street which became a playground for all ages. The French farm became their home in 1988. There the grandchildren spent many days having tea parties, playing dress up, learning to drive, and just being kids.

Ann loved people, and it showed in the public service jobs she held. She was a butcher at Baxter’s store, where she took pride in making sure the meat coolers were stocked even if it meant hauling her young children to the store when called in. She became a teacher’s aide at Embden Elementary School.

She then worked alongside Richard at the family sawmill, worked as a cashier at Solon Superette and cleaned for elderly ladies in town. She worked for Cianbro Corp. in Woodland where she became known as “Rack-Truck Annie.”

Ann full-filled her lifelong dream of operating her antique shop — “Ann’s Tiques.” A variety of jobs followed which focused on the care of others, ending her working career to help care for her mother in her final years.

Her volunteer work included heading the PTO at her children’s school, coaching softball, various committees for the Town of Solon, her favorite being all things celebrated — parades, fashion shows, etc. Ann was quick to identify where help was needed and was willing to step up to the task.

As a Solon Historical Society volunteer, she most loved history and genealogy, and you wouldn’t have to talk to her for long before you would learn that and likely find out who you might be related to, most likely her somehow. And that is exactly how she loved people — like family.

After her children left home Ann committed her life to the lord, she grew in her faith and would share that with others.

Of course, her favorite role was being “Ma” to her ever-growing cast of grandchildren and their friends.

After moving to Madison in 2020, she continued her work at the historical society spending every possible Tuesday there. On her final visit to the house on Main Street in Solon she shared how delighted she was to spend the day with some of her favorite historians.

In her short time in Madison, a new collection of children found their way to Ann’s door where they would often stop in for ice cream, talks and history lessons.

She was predeceased by her parents and her sister Holly Golden.

Ann leaves behind her children, Donald Padham (Elizabeth), Jeffery Padham (Todd), Stacy Padham Blanchet (Mark), and Hether Forsten (Robert); her siblings, Brian Whitney, Brenda Padham (Reginald), brother-in-law Michael Golden, Linda Steward (Ercell), Beth Orr (Harley), and Ellen Manzer (Jerry); her beloved grandchildren, Alicia Smith, Keelyann (Padham) Dube, Whitney Blanchet, Michaela Forsten, Karis Padham, Katelyn Forsten, Dylan Blanchet, Jordan Enos, Josh Enos and Joe Fecteau.

She also leaves her great-grandchildren, Alex, Colton, Arianna, Lily, Josh, Dawson, Kaya, Ellie, Isaac, Sylvia, Akasha, Mason, Layla, Jackson and Gwendolyn with two more expected early this fall; and several cherished cousins, nieces, nephews and those who became family.

Services are planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 21, at the historic South Solon Meeting House, 1 Meeting House Road, Solon, with a reception immediately following at Solon Elementary School.

The family would like to thank the many nonprofit organizations Ann volunteered for who have reached out to help in any way they can. We’d also like to thank the staff at Redington-Fairview General Hospital for their compassion and kindness to Ann and all her family during this very difficult time.