PORTLAND -- Leona Elthea (Doughty) Boxer, age 91, of Portland died peacefully Friday Jan. 10, 2014, surrounded by her loving Family at the Barron Center in Portland.
PORTLAND -- Leona Elthea (Doughty) Boxer, age 91, of Portland died peacefully Friday Jan. 10, 2014, surrounded by her loving Family at the Barron Center in Portland.
Leona was born in the family home on the west end of Chebeague Island, on March 12, 1922. She was the youngest of the seven children of Captain Edmund L. and Helen P.O. Doughty. She attended Chebeague Island and Portland Schools. She married Herman Boxer, the man of her dreams and the love of her life, on March 3, 1943 in Cape Elizabeth. They were happily married until his death on Jan. 26, 1996.
Ma always said her greatest achievement and proudest accomplishment was her family. Her love for them was complete, unconditional, and evident in all she said and did. There was room in her heart for family, friends, neighbors, and even the occasional stranger. There was room for all. She loved animals and was rarely seen without a cat or kitten in her arms. She was patient, kind, and full of fun. Her children and others gravitated towards her. Leona was lovingly called 'The Mother of the Neighborhood'.
Leona was Past President of the Cummings School PTA, Den Mother, Drop In Center, UMW Award recipient in 2004, LJHS cafeteria, NE Cold Storage, member of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church and Chebeague Island United Methodist Church, March of Dimes Volunteer, American Lung Assoc. volunteer, Heart Fund, and Demolay.
The devotion and dedication she extended to her family continues to enrich our lives as we honor her memory and legacy as part of our daily lives. She loved snow, the blue sky, and the colorful flowers surrounding her home and on the Island. Her porch or dining room on Richardson St. were favorite places to gather with her family.
She was predeceased by her parents; 'Boxer'; her six siblings, three brothers Donald, Calvin, and Earle Doughty, and three sisters Doris Nida, Evelyn Weagle Kuntz, and Priscilla Riddle. Leona is survived by her seven loving children Doris Boisvert (Richard), Jeffrey (Ann deceased), Vivian (Lynne), Daniel (Vickie), Joyce, Ned (Patty), Donna Skillin (Fred), Sixteen grandchildren, and twenty three great-grandchildren, along with many loved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Her family wishes to thank the staff at the Barron Center for their professionalism, tender care, and genuine concern for Leona's health and welfare as well as her family and friends. They are the very best and we are so grateful to them. We also wish to thank the Intermed Healthcare Provider for the care they extended to Leona.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A funeral service to celebrate the life of Leona Elthea (Doughty) Boxer will be held Wednesday Jan. 15, 2014, at 11 a.m., in the Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford St., Portland. Interment will be in the spring at Chebeague Island Cemetery on Chebeague Island. On-line condolences can be given to Leona's family at www.jonesrichandhutchins.com.