Dorothy Sylvia Winter

FARMINGTON -- The oldest citizen of Weld and the holder of the Boston Post Cane since Dec. 20, 1996, Dorothy S. Winter, 105, passed away at the Sandy River Center for Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Farmington, on Tuesday evening, Oct. 16, 2007, where she had been a resident for four years.

She was born Nov. 7, 1901, the daughter of Henry and Nina (Phillips) Swett.

She graduated from Weld High School on June 20, 1919, and attended Farmington Normal School. She then taught school in Dickvale (West Peru) and Dixfield for one year.

On Feb. 5, 1924, she married Leon A. Winter Sr. He died March 20, 1956.

She became a member of the Weld Congregational Church in 1916. She was clerk for several years, Sunday school superintendent and teacher, and also a very active member of the Church Ladies Aid.

She was a Weld postal clerk for a number of years for her father who was the Postmaster, and she was the Weld librarian for 16 years.

She joined the Order of Eastern Star Chapter No. 171 in Weld on March 25, 1920, at 18 years of age. She held the office of Worthy Matron many times as well as many other stations of the Order. She was appointed District Deputy Grand Matron of District No. 6 in 1945, 1946 and 1947. She was a life-member of this Order and was a member of Farmington OES Chapter No. 143.

She was also a life member of the Weld Extension Homemakers, the American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 203, the Weld Historical Society (of which she was a charter member) and was a member of the Weld Village Improvement Society and the Rural Mail Carriers Auxiliary.

Dorothy was a caregiver for many years. The church was always an important part of her life. She enjoyed cooking and especially loved the times spent with her grandchildren and her many, many friends. She was an inspiration to her family and beyond. For many years, she followed and enjoyed watching the Red Sox games and knew most of the players names and positions. The highlight was to know they won the World Series once again in her lifetime.

All of her children and their spouses were born in Weld and lived in Weld. She attended each of their 50th wedding anniversary celebrations.

She leaves her three children, son, Leon Almon Winter Jr. and two daughters, June Vining and her husband, Hiram, and Romaine Hutchinson and her husband, Edmund, all of Weld; seven grandchildren, Fawn Winter Hermon and her husband, Robert, of Cumberland, Martha Winter Vining of Readfield, Stephen Vining of Weld, Kenneth Vining of Farmington, Glenn Hutchinson and his wife, Janet, of Oakland, Kim Hutchinson and his wife, Tracy, of Dixfield, and Trent Hutchinson and his wife, Julie, of Pownal; 14 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband; a sister, Katherine Conant; and a daughter-in-law, Pauline Winter.

Family and friends are invited to call 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Wiles Remembrance Center, 136 High St., Wilton. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon from the Weld Congregational Church. Following services, all are welcome to attend a reception in the church undercroft.

Those who desire may give gifts in her memory to either the Weld Congregational Church, P.O. Box 65, Weld, ME 04285, or to the Weld Public Library, c/o Helen Hader (treasurer), P.O. Box 138, Weld, ME 04285. Following cremation, private burial at Center Hill Cemetery, Weld.

Online condolences may be sent to wilesfuneralhomes@verizon.net.

Published in Central Maine on Oct. 18, 2007

• Residence: 1910 - Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States
• Residence: Feb 5 1924 - Weld, Me
• Residence: 1930 - Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States
• Residence: 1935 - Same House
• Residence: 1940 - Weld, Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States
• Residence: Apr 13 1950 - Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jul 23 2023, 23:38:37 UTC