Billie Gammon

Gammon, Billie, 92, Livermore, in North Livermore village, January 11, 2009. Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. on January 15 at North Livermore Baptist Church, Livermore, Maine. Arrangements are in the care of the Finley Funeral Home, Livermore Falls, Maine.     Livermore – Billie Gammon, age 92, the founder of Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, died Sunday morning, January 11, 2009, at her home in North Livermore village. She was born July 31, 1916, in Augusta, the daughter of Howard G. and Mable Searle Wilson. Though named Ethel Searle Wilson, she has been known throughout her life as “Billie”. She grew up in North Augusta, Maine, and Nictaux, Nova Scotia. Billie graduated from Augusta’s Cony High School in 1932 at the age of 15, and two years later from Washington State Normal School (now the University of Maine at Machias). She was an elementary teacher in Parkman, Livermore and Augusta. On June 21, 1938, Billie married Alfred Quimby Gammon of Livermore Falls. Together, Billie and Alfred converted a North Livermore carriage house into their home. In summer months, they could be found sailing the coast in their sailboat “Sweet Dream”. A member of the North Livermore Baptist Church, she taught third grade Sunday school for 23 years, served as senior BYF (Baptist Youth Fellowship) advisor for ten years, and was one of two “den mothers” to the senior adult group that she was instrumental in starting. She was a Girl Scout leader, and served on the State Department of Educational Ministries for American Baptist Churches for more than a dozen years. In addition, Billie helped start and operate the North Livermore Reading Club library. It was in the summer of 1954 that Billie began her work at the Norlands – opening the library to visitors one afternoon a week. From that humble beginning, she had a dream and the result was the founding of the Washburn-Norlands Foundation in 1974. On her 75th birthday, in 1991, Billie resigned as Executive director of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. She was back in 1996 for a term as interim director. It was through her efforts that the Washburn Humanities Center at the Norlands was developed with its inauguration in 1992. In the fall of 2008, Billie resigned after serving many years as the editor of the Maine Association of Museums’ newsletter. In 1974 she graduated from the University of Maine, Farmington, and received her masters’ degree in Education in 1975 from the University of Maine, Portland-Gorham. In addition, she received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Maine, Farmington. Billie was honored with many prestigious awards including the Distinguished Achievement award, UM, Farmington; Distinguished Alumni Award, UMM; Jefferson Award in 1983; Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize. In addition she was inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 1990 was a guest of Barbara Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House for the Points of Light. She was also a recipient of the 1999 Deborah Morton Award at a ceremony at the University of New England.
    Billie is survived by a daughter Nancy Lee Wakefield and her husband John of Livermore, a son Michael G. Gammon of  Livermore, a granddaughter Betsy Wakefield and her husband Kevin Rouleau of South Portland, a grandson Jonathan D. Wakefield and his fiancée Melissa Morneau of Rangeley, grandson-in-law Steven P. Stout of Cape Elizabeth, grandson William M. Gammon and his wife Tracy of Livermore, four great-grandchildren Samuel Wakefield Stout of Cape Elizabeth, Logan Xander Buker and Olivia Darcy Wakefield of Rangeley and Tyler Cooper Gammon of Livermore, her sister Effie Nichols of Augusta and many nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her husband Alfred Q. Gammon, on February 1, 1985, and her granddaughter Darcy Gammon Wakefield, on December 10, 2005.
    Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 15th at North Livermore Baptist Church, Corner of Crash Road & Federal Road, Livermore, Maine. Visiting hours 2-8 PM on Wednesday, January 14th at FINLEY FUNERAL HOME, 15 Church Street, Livemore Falls, Maine. Interment in the spring at Waters Hill Cemetery, Livermore, Maine. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Billie's memory to: Good Shepard Food Bank, 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn, ME 04210, or The Salvatiion Army Northern New England Divisional Headquarters, 297 Cumberland Ave., P.O. Box 3647, Portland, ME 04104. Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.finleyfuneralhome.com.