SCARBOROUGH -- Bertha Cadigan passed away peacefully on May 31, 2014, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House surrounded by family and friends. Bertha was born on March 30, 1924, in Melrose, Mass. At the age of nine her family moved to Portland. She resided in the same house for 81 years until her passing.
She was a proud graduate of Deering High School where she made many lifelong friends. She was very active in all Deering reunion celebrations. Upon graduation from high school, she immediately went to work for The Union Mutual Life Insurance Company where she held numerous positions over a 44 year career with the company, until her retirement. She also made many friends at Union Mutual and attended all of their retirement functions. She was a member of the Woodfords Congregational Church for over 80 years serving on numerous committees.
Her true passion, besides family, was her affiliation with the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member for over 60 years, making once again, numerous friendships. Through Eastern Star she traveled throughout New England, as well as the United States and Canada. She was a past grand matron representing the state of Maine. She also was on the General Grand Chapter Committee for International Head Quarters OES in Washington, D.C. from 2009 through 2012. Her dedication to Eastern Star was without boundaries. Her extended family was the joy of her life. She took great pride in her nieces and nephews and their children and their children. She was not one to miss a party. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, where she had the family over to decorate her 10 foot Christmas tree. While she could not 'carry a tune,' everyone who entered her home was greeted with 'Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.' Hardly any relative or dear friend escaped a birthday without an early morning wake up phone call with her singing 'Happy Birthday to You.' Like her mother, she left the door unlocked, while at home, to welcome family and friends.
She recently celebrated her 90th birthday with family from the west coast attending. She was fondly known as Aunt Bertha even to those who were not immediate family. She never missed a Friday hair appointment and said if she did, she was not long for this world. Her last hair appointment was three weeks ago. She was a self described 'pack rat' to the point where a portable dish washer gifted to her 25 years ago was recently opened and to the family's surprise being used as a filing cabinet. Obviously, she was very creative.
She had strong opinions on many subjects, but rarely would share them with people, unless you were foolish enough to ask her a question you might not like to answer to. She will be dearly missed by all those whose lives she touched.
Bertha was predeceased by her parents, Kenneth and Pearl Cadigan; her brothers, Arthur, Kenneth and George, her sisters, Hazel and Grace; her 'Gentleman Friend,' Owen Taylor; and her nephew, Patrick Cadigan. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeralyn Cadigan; her niece, Nancy Lentz; a very close friend, Cindy Adams; along with many other nieces and nephews of whom there are too many to mention.
Visiting hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Jones, Rich & Hutchings Funeral Home, 199 Woodfords St., Portland, on Thursday, June 5. A funeral service will take place on Friday, June 6, at 11 a.m., at the Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodfords St., in Portland. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to: The if American Cancer Society One Bowdoin Mill Island Topsham, Maine 04086; Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodfords St., Portland, Maine 04103 or The Grand Chapter Charity Permanent Fund.
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