Obituary of Anne Townsend LaPointe

AUBURN - Anne (Townsend) LaPointe, 80, died on Feb. 24 at Clover Health Care with her husband by her side. She was born in Padiham, Lancashire, England, to John and Dorothy Townsend on April 11, 1933. Her family lived in the small coastal town of Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, until Anne and her mother emigrated to the United States in 1955 after her father moved there for a job. She briefly lived in New York until her family moved to Waterville, Maine, where she worked at a local department store and met the love of her life, Reginald LaPointe. The couple soon became engaged and married on April 21, 1956, in Waterloo, Iowa, where they had moved for work reasons. There, Anne briefly worked for the Waterloo Daily Courier newspaper. A year after moving to Portland, Maine, the LaPointes had their first child, Stephen, in 1958. Then in 1962, they had their second child, Melissa. During her time there, Anne was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, which was for English-born women in the area. A year later, the LaPointes moved to Rumford Center, where Anne and Reg would live for the next 48 years. Anne and Reg were members of the Rumford Center Methodist Church. Anne also volunteered for the Willing Workers group, where she cooked and sewed clothing for people in need. She and her husband later volunteered at the Rumford Information Booth, where they loved talking to visitors and giving them useful information for their travels. Anne had an intense love of flowers and her hands were constantly in the soil. A local newspaper once wrote an article on how beautiful her gardens were. She was also a talented artist and could do anything she put her mind to, from painting picturesque landscapes to making her own stuffed animals and doll clothing. She was known for her compassion, kindness and strong will. She loved spending time with her family, especially on the holidays, when she would cook delicious meals and finish them with her famous baked goods. Her door was always open to neighbors and friends. Anne was predeceased by her mother, Dorothy Townsend; father John Townsend; and brother Philip Townsend. She is survived by her husband, Reg; son Stephen LaPointe and wife Mindy; daughter Melissa Martin, and sons Dylan Martin and Sean Martin; brother-in-law Leo LaPointe, and wife Lucille; sister-in-law Marie Ahearn; Theresa LaPointe, wife of late brother-in-law Emile LaPointe; and nieces and nephews and their spouses. A memorial service will be held sometime in the spring in Rumford Center. The LaPointe family would like to thank the staff at Clover Health Care for their care and support. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be donated to the American Diabetes Association at P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or by visiting online at www.diabetes.org.