Velma Juanita Albert

PITTSTON – Velma Juanita Albert, 99, of Pittston, passed away peacefully on Nov. 14, 2021. She was the oldest of seven children and daughter of Roy and Cora (Kelly) Branscombe and born at the Range, New Brunswick, Canada, on April 6, 1922.

Their family, including younger brother, Merlin, moved to the U.S. in 1926 where her father bought a potato farm in Smyrna, Maine. Velma attended Marley Grammar School and Merrill High School where she graduated in 1940. Velma married Kenneth Albert of Patten, Maine, and due to Dad’s Army service during WWII and attendance at the University of Maine and subsequent teaching positions, they moved many times until they moved to Pittston where she’s lived since 1957.

After moving to Pittston, she went to work as a nurse aid for 12 years at the Gardiner General Hospital where she met several coworkers who became devoted and lasting friends. She also worked on the nursing home at the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) for many years. She received her LPN degree in 1968, and in 1977, received an Associate Degree in Mental Health Technology and Gerontology. Mum decided to retire in 1984 when her mother came to live with our family. Mum lovingly cared for Grammy Cora in her home for 12 years.

She was selected as Employee of the Year at AMHI, Maine’s Mother of the Year, and had been the holder of the Pittston Boston Post Cane award since September 2019.

At St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gardiner, she had been both Secretary and President of the Legion of Mary; Eucharistic Minister; and leader of many Lenten groups,

Velma enthusiastically enjoyed playing canasta with her girls and close friends, and cribbage with her boys. There’s great debate on whether she was a skilled player or she and her cronies were determined to win at any cost. Friends, children, and grandchildren alike enjoyed playing the many games she so enjoyed.

Mum was a vitamin/supplement “guru” and impressed upon us (until we surrendered) what we needed and what we didn’t. To this end, she never took any medications and frowned upon using even a mild pain reliever as it might settle in her liver or kidneys. We just shook our heads, but she lived to 99 and we probably won’t.

Velma has written about her maternal great grandparents sailing from Ireland to New York and then on to Cumberland Bay with four young children; what happened with these children after both parents died of Influenza; her grandfather’s life (as a baby, her grandfather was taken in by a childless couple who sailed with them on the ship); her parent’s lives; and her life. We are all so fortunate she had great memories and she loved to write them down.

She was predeceased by her parents; husbands Ken Albert who died in 1965 and Hershel Albert in 1988; brothers Merlin Branscombe, Phillip (Gerry) Branscombe, sisters Elizabeth (Earl) Shields, Ruth (Hank) Goodwin; granddaughters Heather Albert and Tiffany Albert, and grandson Liam Finley.

She is survived by her children Mary Pillsbury of West Gardiner, Ken (Carolyn) of Pittston, Dawn (Jerry) Millette of Pittston, Linda (Denny) Foster of Gardiner, David (Carol) of Pittston; Danny (Cindy Thomas) of Chelsea, Lori (Rick) Hafner of Auburn, Rocky (Charlotte LaPointe) of Augusta, Tom (Dana) of Standish, and stepchildren Teddy Morin of North Whitefield, Hershel Albert of Clearwater, Camilla (John) McKinney of Cape Elizabeth, and Julia (Rick) Peron of Topsham; 85 grandchildren and 23 step grandchildren survive her. Velma is also survived by brother, Jack (Jayne) Branscombe of Bangor sister, Phyllis Greenlaw of Oakfield; and many loving nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Friday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Staples Funeral Home in Gardiner. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov 20 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Gardiner, followed by burial at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.

We wish to thank the staff at both Androscoggin Hospice House and Montello Manor for their gentle and loving care.

Arrangements are entrusted with Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, Maine. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website: http://www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com

For those who wish,

memorial donations

may be made to:

Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice or:

Chrysalis Place/Gardiner Food Pantry in Gardiner or:

a charitable organization of your choice