BALDWIN – Norma Jean (Gardner) Haines, age 82, passed away on April 19, 2023, after a one-year battle with esophageal cancer.
Norma was born in Portland, ME on May 4, 1940, 2nd daughter of the late Melvin and Myrtle (Jones) Gardner. Norma graduated from South Portland High School in 1958. She attended Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, then continued her education at Westbrook Junior College and Maine Medical Center, graduating as a licensed X-Ray Technician. She married the love of her life, Glenn, in June 1962. She followed him around his Coast Guard life and career for the next 27 years. Their life led them to Norfolk, VA, Southport, NC, Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, Portland, ME, and Anchorage and Juneau, AK. It was a great life! Son Mark was born in North Carolina, and daughter Stacey was born in Seattle, Washington. Following Glenn’s retirement in 1989, the couple moved back to Baldwin, Maine. Norma became very active with the Brown Memorial Library, taking over the position of Librarian, a position she held for over 10 years. She was the Master of Maple Grove Grange no. 148 in Sebago and sang with the Meeting House Singers as a bass for many years. She looked eagerly towards meeting with her close MMC workmates annually in Kennebunkport. From 1995, to 2009, the couple cruised, mostly with Glenn’s Academy classmates, to the Caribbean, Bermuda, British Isles, Baltic, Italy, Greece, and Hawaii. After their cruising days were done, they found time to visit San Antonio and Savannah. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Glenn, a son Mark and his fiancée Deanna Niemeyer, a daughter Stacey and her wife Sarah Ober, two grand-daughters Rachel and Jason Kichline, Kristen and a grandson Alex, her sister Nancy, and two nieces and several grand-nieces.
We welcome those who would like to celebrate Norma’s life at the First Congregational Church of East Baldwin, 26 School St. East Baldwin from 2:00-3:00, Sunday, May 7, 2023.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home website, www.mainefuneral.com
In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Brown Memorial Library, P.O. Box 24, East Baldwin, ME 04024
The family thanks the Hospice of Southern Maine for their caring assistance over the last 2 and one-half months of Norma’s life.