ROCKPORT — Annie Niemi Fitzgerald, 84, a devoted wife, sister, mother, Auntie, Grammy and Great-Grammy, died Aug. 9, 2016, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, after suffering a medical event.

She was born Nov. 3,1931, on Finn Hill in Warren to Finnish immigrants, John and Ida Koskela Niemi. She began her education at Anderson School speaking only Finnish. She quickly mastered English, with the help of the older students interpreting for her with the teacher. After Anderson School closed, Annie attended Warren High School for two years. She completed her high school career at Union High School with the Class of 1950. She continued her education at Fisher Business School in Boston.

After graduating from Fisher Annie had several jobs but went on to work at the Augusta Mental Health Institute for nearly 30 years, until retiring in the early 1990s. After retiring she worked at Kno-Wal-Lin Home Healthcare, sharing her compassion with her patients. Annie earned her associate’s degree in mental health technology on June 4, 1977.

Annie was a member of the Finnish–American Society of Thomaston, which  was not only important to her but to her search of Finnish heritage.

In addition to her parents; and her beloved husband, Norman E. Fitzgerald, Annie was predeceased by two sisters, Miriam Korpinen and Esther Maklin; one son, Charles Nolan; and two grandchildren, Cathy and Brian Fitzgerald Jr.

Annie leaves behind her beloved twin sister, Eva Burns of Union; as well as her children and their spouses, Harry E. and Nancy Fitzgerald, and Brian D. and Emily Fitzgerald, all of Rockland, Linda E. and Ray Vienneau of Harwinton, Conn., Gary and Joanne Fitzgerald of Bethlehem, Conn., Ruth and David Smith of Cushing, Wendy J. and David Postupack of Imperial Beach, Calif., and Wanda Fitzgerald of Richmond, Maine.

Annie leaves 14 grandchildren, Michael, Mark, Erin, Sara, Jennifer, Samantha, Rachel, Stephen, William "Nick," Olivia, Jessica, Justin, Mariah and Travis. She also had 17 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Annie's life will be held Friday, Aug. 19, at 11 a.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St. in Rockland. The Rev. Linda Campbell-Marshall will officiate. A reception will follow at the funeral home's 104 Limerock facility, followed by interment at Post Sunny View Cemetery in Warren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wanda's group home, Pleasant View Ranch, 64 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond, ME. 04357; or The Finn-Am Society of Midcoast Maine, P.O. Box 488, Warren, ME. 04864