Faye Lucy P. (Payson) Doucette, obituary
Faye Lucy P. (Payson) Doucette passed away on December 21, 2023. She was born in Thomaston, Maine on April 10, 1933.
Faye was the second daughter of 10 children born to Merrill W. and Evelyn O. (Moody) Payson and raised on Riverdale Stock Farm on Vaughns Neck in Warren. Graduating from Warren High School in 1950 with honors, she was active in most school functions – playing softball and basketball; then often walking five miles home after games.
Faye was no stranger to hard work, and became a caretaker to her younger siblings, a trait that she carried throughout her long life. During summer vacation and after graduating she worked several jobs: as a waitress, raking blueberries, packing sardines, and as a counter person at a dry cleaners. Faye worked at Tibbetts Industries (for 17 years), School House Togs, and then at Moss Tent-works.
After all that, she decided to change her path of life and took a CNA course. This led her to work for Home Health & Nursing Homes, then to private homecare on her own. She took many advanced medical courses, to enhance her CNA career. She loved every minute of this work, and always looked forward to going to work. She found she was very fond of the elderly people; often she would say “If only I knew their lives before their deaths and not read it in the obituary.” After working in the nursing field for 40 years she retired, only because of her failing health; fully retiring at age 80.
Over the years she was voted CNA of the month several times, and was voted CNA of the year in 1998. She was recognized by the State of Maine Health Association for a report she did while working at Camden Health Care. She was always a caregiver and she found joy in making sure those around her were taken care of; from her own siblings, to her children, and grand-children.
Eventually providing loving hospice care in her home for her mother in law, Ellen; her husband of 57 years, LeForest Doucette; and her sister Marilyn.
For 35 years she raised and sold flowers by the roadside at her home, as well as home-grown raspberries and Christmas wreaths; spending the earned money on her children, and later she bought savings bonds for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Faye provided endless acts of community and volunteering, as she was always knitting, and crocheting, hats and mittens; and braiding rugs to give away. She once made over 500 knit dolls for missionaries to give to children in Africa and other foreign countries.
She married LeForest Doucette in 1951 (actually it was July 4, 1952). Living in Rockland for a short time, then moving to Rockport where they lived for 45 years, until Forest retired. They had 3 children: son, Robert, daughters, Delores and Gayle; six grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
For 32 years they vacationed in Georgia at Tybee Island. Six of the years they took grandchildren with them until all 6 had been to Tybee Island. Twice they took all six grandchildren to Canada and Quebec for a week. She was active in Drum and Bugle Corp. and with Twin Town Cadets. She was active in school functions while her children were in school. She and a friend made candied apples which were sold at school carnivals to raise money for playground equipment at the West Street School right after it was built, they would make 100 each year for 4 years. She was a Den mother in Cub Scouts where they hiked, had sleepovers, visited lots of places in and around the State Capitol, Fort Western, and Fort Knox.
She was active in the Republican Party for many years. She was a ballot clerk in Rockport and Warren! She got a gold embossed invitation to President Reagan's Inauguration in Washington D.C. in 1980, but she didn’t go because of the expense. She had the opportunity to shake President Ford’s hand in Augusta. She took care of a U.S. Senator who summered in Camden for two years, which she said was fun as he couldn’t sleep well and they would watch C-SPAN and he’d tell her all about the lives of many senators.
She was a member of the Payson Park Committee in Warren, and worked hard with others to keep it nice.
She was a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Camden. She had a ministry of helping people, often driving them to appointments; which kept her busy, and she enjoyed doing that.
She was predeceased by her parents; husband, Forest Doucette; daughters, Delores (Ball-Doniel) Walburn, Gayle (Taylor) O'brien; son-in-law Fred O’brien; and grandson Craig Doucette.
She is survived by a son, Robert Doucette, of Union. Five Grandchildren, Renee (Jason) Flanders, Kimberly (Terry) Smalls, Jasmine Taylor, Michael (Aimee) Doucette, and William “Joe” Doniel; and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by two sisters, Phyllis Vargas, and Marilyn Boynton; one brother, Richard Payson. She is survived by two sisters, Caroline Perkins, Patricia Weaver; four brothers, William Payson, Robert Payson, Gerald Payson, and Andre Payson.
Services will be held on Jan. 13, 2024, at 1 p.m., at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 164 Cobb Rd, Camden, ME.