As written by Harriet Pasquine, Iola’s daughter

Millinocket and Portland - My mother, Iola Clare Leeman Currie Pasquine, was called home to Heaven on Friday, November 23, 2018. She was surrounded by love from family and friends. She is now reunited with her husband, Dominic, her parents, Richard and Clare (Leeman) Currie, and family and friends.
Mom was born on June 6, 1924, in Connecticut, to Henry and Harriet Leeman. Because of
family difficulties, at the age of three, she became the daughter of her Aunt Clare and Uncle
Richard, little sister to Clayton and Kelvie, and big sister to Eunice.
The heart of the family home was faith, love, and family. Sunday church and family dinners were a staple within the home; and it was within the family she learned the art of cooking from her Grandmother Francis. Mom enjoyed cooking, but her speciality was baking.
After her graduation from Stearns High School in 1943, Mom worked at Claire’s Clothing Store.
Mom married Dad, Dominic Pasquine, on June 21,1948, and moved to Little Italy in Millinocket, where she was a homemaker. At the heart of their home was faith, love, and family. Mom expanded her cooking skills by learning the art of Italian cooking from her sisters-in-law, Mary and Margaret. Mom continued with Sunday dinners at the home, and there was always family members or friends at the dinner table enjoying Mom’s homemade macaroni, bread, and
desserts. At Christmas time the home was filled with the aroma of various cookies baking. The
cookies were given out to family and friends for Christmas gifts, but the biggest gift she and Dad
gave to everyone who entered the home was love. Mom loved cooking for her family and
friends, and anyone who visited left with their hearts and their stomachs full, and with a goodie
bag to take home. Mom and Dad loved hosting family barbeques, birthday parties, anniversaries, and other family gatherings at their home. They both enjoyed the annual Pasquine/Mascetta family vacation to Old Orchard Beach. Both were members of the VFW and Past Presidents. After Dad retired, Mom worked part-time at Quint’s Clothing Store, where she managed the store during the winter months. After Dad’s passing, she worked at a local bakery.
In her later years, she spent winters with me in Portland. In 2007, she
moved to Portland and moved in with me. She enjoyed camping trips with the Conant family,
barbeques with family and friends, and of course, she loved cooking for her new friends in
Portland. She also attended her first concert in Worcester, Massachusetts.
After a bad fall in December 2009, she was hospitalized. In January 2010 she moved to St.
Joseph’s Rehab and Rehabilitation in Portland. Once again, her heart welcomed a lot of new
friends into her life. She stayed active by going to church, playing bingo, attending family
gatherings, and cooking with the activities personnel.
Mom and Dad were married almost 41 years before Dad was called home to Heaven in April
1989. Mom is predeceased by her parents, Richard and Claire Leeman Currie; her siblings and
spouses, Clayton and Helen Currie, Kelvie Currie, and Eunice and Ken Barnett. She was also
predeceased by her brothers and sisters-in-law and their spouses; Mary and Stump Kuras,
Margaret and Perly Adams, Romus and Betty Pasquine, Frank and Mildred Pasquine, and a
very special niece Marion Evans and her husband, Dave.
She is survived by me, her daughter Harriet, of Portland; a very special niece Doreen Picard
and her husband Jack Picard of Millinocket; her clothing Angel Karyn Pasquine of Bangor; her
special friends, John and Florence Hawkes, and the Hawkes family of Portland, Brenda
Toulouse and Stephen Hughes of Portland; Koren Nash of West Cumberland; and the Conant
family, Carol, Kevin, Grace, and Anthony of Westbrook. She is also survived by many nieces
and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2018, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in
Millinocket, Maine. Visiting hours will be from 10:00 to 11:00, with a funeral mass to follow at
11:00. A burial service will be held in the spring at Millinocket Cemetery.
I wish to thank past and present staff of St. Joseph’s Rehab in Portland for their love, laughter,
kindness, and caring they showed my Mother over the past years. A very special thank you to
the Unit B Angels. I would also like to thank Beacon Hospice for their love, laughter, and
kindness over the past few months.
Friends are invited to visit with the family 10-11 A.M. Saturday, December 1 at Christ the Divine Mercy Parish, St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, 19 Colby Street, Millinocket, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 A.M. with the Rev. Bruce Siket, pastor, presider. Spring interment will be at the Millinocket Cemetery. Gifts in memory of Iola may be sent to the Katahdin Area Support Group, PO Box 374, Millinocket, ME 04462; St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation and Residence, Pastoral Care, 1133 Washington Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103; or to the Amedisys Foundation, ℅ Beacon Hospice, 40 Atlantic Place, South Portland, ME 04106. Arrangements are by Lamson Funeral Home, Millinocket.

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