GORHAM – Frances Elizabeth (Litchfield) Silsby died peacefully on April 27, 2023, with her daughters by her side, after a period of declining health. She was 93 years old.
Frances was born in Brunswick on May 29, 1929, the oldest of three daughters born to Louis Brooks Litchfield and Madalene Barker Litchfield. She grew up in Ellsworth and graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1946. She attended the University of Maine at Orono, later earning a bachelor’s degree from Simmons College and a diploma in nursing from the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, Mass.
She worked as a public health nurse in Hancock and Washington Counties until her marriage to Samuel Schoppee Silsby Jr. of Bangor in 1953. They moved to Augusta in 1955 and lived in their home on Spring Street for 50 years until his death in 2008. Frances moved to Gorham in 2014 to be near one of her children.
Frances worked for the State of Maine’s Disability Determination Services for nearly 25 years as a disability claims examiner and adjudicator. She had many friends, and was a longstanding member of the service sorority Beta Sigma Phi. She was an avid reader who was always in search of a good book. She loved the seashore, and often said that she wanted to live on an island. Frances was devoted to her family and adored the many cats and dogs that were lucky enough to be her pets over the years.
Frances is survived by her children Carolyn Silsby (and her husband Stanley Piecuch) of Camden, Joanna Wallingford (and her husband Mark) of Auburn, and Nancy Owens (and her husband Scott) of Gorham; her daughter-in-law, Victoria Silsby of Manchester, Vt.; her sister, Shirley Whitcomb (and her husband Eben) of Haddam, Conn.; and a large extended family, including 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Her son, Samuel Silsby III; and her sister, Mary Whitworth (and her husband John) predeceased her.
A private graveside ceremony will be held at Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta at a later date.
The family wishes to express its sincere gratitude and appreciation to her caregivers at Gorham House for the love and care they provided to Frances, particularly during her last illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to the:
Animal Refuge League
of Greater Portland
P.O. Box 336
Portland, ME 04098 or
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