LOUISE ANN WAY

Louise Ann Way, of New Gloucester, Maine, passed away peacefully at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House on Friday, July 24th, 2020.  “Weezie” as Louise was affectionately known to her friends, was born was born in Fort Fairfield, Maine on September 27th, 1938 to Fred and Ellen Desjardins. She was a graduate of Fort Fairfield High School class of 1956.  From there, she began working on the base in Limestone for the U.S. Air Force as an administrative assistant. Her job would lead her to Paris, France, New York City, and later to Topsham, Maine, where she met the love of her life. She married Harold Willis Way on August 22nd, 1964. They moved on to the Buffalo, New York area where Louise gave birth to three sons, Steve, Bob and Kevin. From there, she and her family lived in Walworth NY, Illinois, California and New Hampshire before settling down in New Gloucester, Maine in 1978.  She earned her degree in French with a minor in Spanish in 1981 from University of Southern Maine.  She worked for over a decade as an administrative assistant at W.S. Libbey and Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. She later also occasionally worked as a substitute teacher. She moved to Newport Maine in 1991 and taught as an Education Technician for several years before she and Harold resettled in New Gloucester in 1996.  She was very active in her church, Saint Gregory’s in Gray. Louise and her family attended services regularly for many years. She taught religious education for a few years and also served as an advisor to the Catholic Youth Organization there. She was a devoted and beloved member of the choir for decades. She expanded her horizons after Harold passed away and had many friendships in the Connected Catholics group.  Her charitable work included volunteering as a parking valet at CMMC and reading to children at her neighbor’s day care and at the library.  Louise had many hobbies and loved to stay busy.  When not chasing the activities of her children and grandchildren, she stayed very active late in life with regular walks, Tai Chi and Health Steps.   She had a love of music and enjoyed her Irish Set Dance group.  Louise also believed that lifelong learning was something to pursue, which she did by taking Senior college courses and being active in French Conversation classes.  She had a lifelong love of travel in all of its forms, visiting distant relatives and friends all over the country and taking many trips overseas to Europe, Alaska, and Hawaii. Louise loved her golden retrievers and particularly enjoyed taking the pups to her family camp in Winthrop.  Louise is predeceased by her loving husband Harold, her sister, Devona (and Mike) Downing and their brother Robert (and Mary Ann) Desjardins. Louise is survived by her son Stephen, his wife Tina and their daughter Kristen; her son Robert, his wife Sarah and their children, Jane and Leo; her son Kevin, his wife Tonya; their daughter Molly and her husband Sean O’Neill; and their son Brian and his wife Emily. Louise was excited to have known her great-granddaughters Darcey and Piper.  Louise is also survived by her brother, Paul Desjardins and his wife Cookie, and a large extended family. The Way family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at Maine Medical Center and at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for the compassionate care they provided in her last days.  Visiting hours and the Funeral Mass were by invite only. A graveside service was held at Lower Gloucester Cemetery, on Gloucester Hill Road in New Gloucester at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 1st.