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- Alphena C. Babineau
PORTLAND – Alphena C. Babineau, 98, died after a short illness June 25, 2023 at Gosnell Hospice House. She was born June 2, 1925, in St. Leonard, New Brunswick Canada to Maxime and Emma O’Rourke Violette.
Her father worked for the Canadian Railroad which provided them a home along the railroad line in remote areas. One of ten children, her family lived through the depression but as she always said they had plenty of food and so many fun times fishing, gardening, berry picking and so much love in their home. Winters were long and snowy and she walked up hill both ways to school in snow up to her waist. She completed 10 grade state side.
Her father died unexpectedly in 1940 on the railroad leaving her mom with ten children to care for. They immigrated to Maine and settled in Old Orchard Beach where her mother purchased a boarding home and Alphena along with her younger siblings lived and helped run. When she turned 18 years of age she went to South Portland and applied for a good paying job at the Todd-Bath Shipyard and was immediately hired as a welder. She was very proud of her service to our county welding the liberty ships for the war effort. There she met her husband Arthur J. Babineau and they were one of many couples who dated and danced to the music of big bands on the pier in Old Orchard Beach. He enlisted in the Army and began his basic and advanced training in the south. Mom rode a troop train by herself from Union Station, Portland, Maine to Louisiana and they were married August 26, 1944 in Fort Polk before his deployment to Europe for WWII. She returned to Maine to wait for his safe return, working in Old Orchard Beach. When both the European and Pacific Battles were ended he completed his assignment and returned to Maine working for Armour & Company. They lived in Rumford for five years and had their first child Rachel. It was there mom and dad found the Swift River and western mountains as their second home for camping and fishing. They settled in Auburn, Maine 1953 and raised a family working part time and eventually full time. In 1974, dad’s job took him north and they settled in Brewer, Maine. She worked for GTE Sylvania retiring in 1990. Mom, also known as Ging by the grandchildren, was an exceptional cook, baker, and seamstress, knitter who loved camping and fishing for brookies. She shared stories of growing up in Canada during the depression. Her faith was important and they belonged to parishes in Rumford, Auburn, Brewer, and Portland. In 2019 they moved to Portland to be closer to family.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by three sisters, Almeda DeCormier, Pauline Violette and Agnella Butts; six brothers, Hubert, Leo, Aimee, Alyre, Roland and Fernand. Survivors include her husband Arthur of nearly 79 years; daughter Rachel Kokoros of Brewer, Art of Madison, N.H., and Donna Somma (Rudolph) of Portland; six grandchildren, Joshua Kokoros, Jeremy Somma (Emily), Jill Somma Prescott (Andrew), Sarah Kokoros-Morin (Dustin), Jennah Babineau-Costa (Tim) and Jen Somma; eight great-grandchildren, Ethan Tracy, Ava, Leah and Ella Prescott, Callie and Kyle Somma, and Jaxson and Madison Costa.
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1925 - 2023 (98 years)
