Obituary for Irma M. Hanington (Leblond)
Lincoln - Irma Marie (LeBlond) Hanington 82, journeyed to Heaven on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 from her home, surrounded by her family. She was born on August 10, 1939 in Millinocket, the oldest daughter of Gerald Joseph and Marie Eddia (Bernier) LeBlond. She grew up in Millinocket, and lived in Wytopitlock until 1989 before moving to Lincoln.
In 1957 she married Hollis A. Hanington Jr. (Junior) and together they raised their 5 children and owned and operated Hanington Bros., Inc., one of Maine’s premier logging, trucking and land management companies.
When asked how she wanted to be remembered, she responded, “That I loved life!” Which she did. She embraced every challenge and opportunity head on with gusto and determination. Her outlook was to make the best of any situation and she faced many difficult ones. Irma was always laughing. She was the prankster, the life of the party, fun, witty, creative and she was ever the optimist.
She saw the value of education and she was a lifelong learner. A self taught seamstress, she made clothing for her children as well as kept them and her 10 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren in new mittens and wool stockings. She taught herself to upholster furniture, to oil paint, weave baskets and later in life became known as “The Snowman Lady” as she sewed original designs for resale and gave the funds to charity.
Long before the term “Community Organizer” became a buzz phrase, she was organizing immunization clinics for babies and children and fundraisers for a new veteran’s memorial as she served with the Alpha Lyra Club in Wytopitlock when her children were growing up. She was instrumental in raising funds for the East Grand Health Center in Danforth when it was first built.
She loved community theater and she performed with the East Grand Players and made many new friends in the process. She loved acting. It came natural to her and she was often seen rehearsing lines with a baby on one hip, doing laundry and making dinner all at the same time.
She loved to bake and she was well known for her oatmeal molasses yeast bread and “cut out birthday cakes” as she went out of her way to make each of her children feel like her favorite on their birthdays. Her home was always open to nieces, nephews, and the neighborhood children and it was not unusual to have additional children for supper every evening. Summers were spent as Deering Lake in Weston where she taught each of her children to swim.
She supported her husband as he ran the family business and participated in local and statewide boards and commissions. She would chauffeur him and provide homecooked meals for his associates in their home. You would often find them working together evenings paying bills and strategizing. She was an entrepreneur. One of her favorite sayings was, “Save your pennies, count your dollars.”
One of her greatest accomplishments was to set up an educational trust fund in 1995 for her 10 grandchildren. She had the great fortune of seeing them graduate from college and build beautiful homes from the fruits of her labor.
As she got older she was always supporting her children and grandchildren as they continued her legacy of volunteerism, community service, fundraising and helping others less fortunate.
When she moved to Lincoln she became active in Community Evangel Church serving in the Women’s Ministries Department as a mentor for MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) in addition to serving with Grief Share for Widows and volunteering her time and talents with the after school mentoring program, KidCare America.
She loved to travel and whenever possible she did. She often remarked how lucky she and Junior were to travel as much as they did while they were younger. She loved to play Scrabble, Cribbage and go to Hollywood Slots.
Irma was predeceased by her husband, Junior Hanington in 1989. Her youngest child and daughter Sharon Hanington Sibley in 2020. A grandson, Evan Hanington in 2004 (Sheldon and Jean Hanington’s infant son) and a great grandson, Cayden Hanington in 2009 (Alex Hanington’s infant son). She was predeceased by sisters, Linda McCue and Geraldine St.Onge along with brothers, Richard, Kenneth and Irvin LeBlond.
She is survived by her daughter Cheryl Hanington Russell and her husband David; her sons and their wives, Scott and Laurie Hanington, Stephen and Teresa Hanington, and Sheldon and Jean Hanington; ten grandchildren Michelle Russell Lang and her husband Josh and their daughters Addilyn and Claire, Michael Hanington and his son Jaxsyn, Alex Hanington and Casey Malone and their children Cameron , Lexi and Jamesyn, Danielle Hanington Libbey and her husband Luke and their children Abby, Evan, Dominic, Jillian, Marissa and Bennett, Eric Hanington and his wife Krista and their daughters, Abrianna, Sadie, Emily and Maci, Jesse Hanington Page and her husband Justin and their daughters Rachel and Eva, Mark Hanington and his wife Susie and their children Cash, Elijah and Morgan, Sarah Hanington and her partner Ben Fiske, Sean Sibley and his partner Justin Lewin. and Ethan Sibley. She is also survived by Sharon Hanington Sibley’s partner, Butch Knights and his daughter Arikka and husband Aaron James and children Adeline and Patrick. In addition, two very special sisters, Patricia Cox and Theresa Card who were with her every day the last 26 days of her life. Her brother Donald LeBlond and his wife Julie. She also leaves behind an incredibly special friend, partner in crime and travel companion, Joanne Cuipenski.
Public visitation will be Friday, April 23, 2021 at Lamson Funeral Home, Clay Chapel, 7 Lee Road, Lincoln from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm. Masks are required along with social distancing. The private funeral will be live streamed by Lamson Funeral Home beginning at 10:00 am Saturday, April 24 with Pastor Jason Johnstone officiating. Burial will be at Trout Brook Cemetery in Weston.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting donations in her memory be made to SHARE LIKE SHARON and mailed to:
Sean Sibley
1235 Kirkland Road
Old Town, ME 04468
These funds will be used to continue Irma’s generosity in helping those less fortunate and providing educational opportunities. The livestreamed funeral may be viewed, and messages of condolence expressed, at Irma’s Book of Memories at www.lamsonfh.com.
In 1957 she married Hollis A. Hanington Jr. (Junior) and together they raised their 5 children and owned and operated Hanington Bros., Inc., one of Maine’s premier logging, trucking and land management companies.
When asked how she wanted to be remembered, she responded, “That I loved life!” Which she did. She embraced every challenge and opportunity head on with gusto and determination. Her outlook was to make the best of any situation and she faced many difficult ones. Irma was always laughing. She was the prankster, the life of the party, fun, witty, creative and she was ever the optimist.
She saw the value of education and she was a lifelong learner. A self taught seamstress, she made clothing for her children as well as kept them and her 10 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren in new mittens and wool stockings. She taught herself to upholster furniture, to oil paint, weave baskets and later in life became known as “The Snowman Lady” as she sewed original designs for resale and gave the funds to charity.
Long before the term “Community Organizer” became a buzz phrase, she was organizing immunization clinics for babies and children and fundraisers for a new veteran’s memorial as she served with the Alpha Lyra Club in Wytopitlock when her children were growing up. She was instrumental in raising funds for the East Grand Health Center in Danforth when it was first built.
She loved community theater and she performed with the East Grand Players and made many new friends in the process. She loved acting. It came natural to her and she was often seen rehearsing lines with a baby on one hip, doing laundry and making dinner all at the same time.
She loved to bake and she was well known for her oatmeal molasses yeast bread and “cut out birthday cakes” as she went out of her way to make each of her children feel like her favorite on their birthdays. Her home was always open to nieces, nephews, and the neighborhood children and it was not unusual to have additional children for supper every evening. Summers were spent as Deering Lake in Weston where she taught each of her children to swim.
She supported her husband as he ran the family business and participated in local and statewide boards and commissions. She would chauffeur him and provide homecooked meals for his associates in their home. You would often find them working together evenings paying bills and strategizing. She was an entrepreneur. One of her favorite sayings was, “Save your pennies, count your dollars.”
One of her greatest accomplishments was to set up an educational trust fund in 1995 for her 10 grandchildren. She had the great fortune of seeing them graduate from college and build beautiful homes from the fruits of her labor.
As she got older she was always supporting her children and grandchildren as they continued her legacy of volunteerism, community service, fundraising and helping others less fortunate.
When she moved to Lincoln she became active in Community Evangel Church serving in the Women’s Ministries Department as a mentor for MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) in addition to serving with Grief Share for Widows and volunteering her time and talents with the after school mentoring program, KidCare America.
She loved to travel and whenever possible she did. She often remarked how lucky she and Junior were to travel as much as they did while they were younger. She loved to play Scrabble, Cribbage and go to Hollywood Slots.
Irma was predeceased by her husband, Junior Hanington in 1989. Her youngest child and daughter Sharon Hanington Sibley in 2020. A grandson, Evan Hanington in 2004 (Sheldon and Jean Hanington’s infant son) and a great grandson, Cayden Hanington in 2009 (Alex Hanington’s infant son). She was predeceased by sisters, Linda McCue and Geraldine St.Onge along with brothers, Richard, Kenneth and Irvin LeBlond.
She is survived by her daughter Cheryl Hanington Russell and her husband David; her sons and their wives, Scott and Laurie Hanington, Stephen and Teresa Hanington, and Sheldon and Jean Hanington; ten grandchildren Michelle Russell Lang and her husband Josh and their daughters Addilyn and Claire, Michael Hanington and his son Jaxsyn, Alex Hanington and Casey Malone and their children Cameron , Lexi and Jamesyn, Danielle Hanington Libbey and her husband Luke and their children Abby, Evan, Dominic, Jillian, Marissa and Bennett, Eric Hanington and his wife Krista and their daughters, Abrianna, Sadie, Emily and Maci, Jesse Hanington Page and her husband Justin and their daughters Rachel and Eva, Mark Hanington and his wife Susie and their children Cash, Elijah and Morgan, Sarah Hanington and her partner Ben Fiske, Sean Sibley and his partner Justin Lewin. and Ethan Sibley. She is also survived by Sharon Hanington Sibley’s partner, Butch Knights and his daughter Arikka and husband Aaron James and children Adeline and Patrick. In addition, two very special sisters, Patricia Cox and Theresa Card who were with her every day the last 26 days of her life. Her brother Donald LeBlond and his wife Julie. She also leaves behind an incredibly special friend, partner in crime and travel companion, Joanne Cuipenski.
Public visitation will be Friday, April 23, 2021 at Lamson Funeral Home, Clay Chapel, 7 Lee Road, Lincoln from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm. Masks are required along with social distancing. The private funeral will be live streamed by Lamson Funeral Home beginning at 10:00 am Saturday, April 24 with Pastor Jason Johnstone officiating. Burial will be at Trout Brook Cemetery in Weston.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting donations in her memory be made to SHARE LIKE SHARON and mailed to:
Sean Sibley
1235 Kirkland Road
Old Town, ME 04468
These funds will be used to continue Irma’s generosity in helping those less fortunate and providing educational opportunities. The livestreamed funeral may be viewed, and messages of condolence expressed, at Irma’s Book of Memories at www.lamsonfh.com.