Family and friends of Leatrice Gamage, who passed away on December 9, 2019, are invited to visit Friday, July 17, 2020, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland; attendance will be limited to 50 guests at a time.

A Celebration of Leatrice’s life will be held Saturday, July 18, 2020, at 11 a.m., at Littlefield Memorial Baptist Church, One Waldo Avenue, Rockland; all are welcome. Interment at Achorn Cemetery and a reception at the church will follow.

To share a message of love, or to read a full obituary, please visit the Gamage family Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.

MOYOCK, North Carolina — The world lost one of its most exceptional souls on Monday, December 9, 2019 when Leatrice Christina Gamage, age 95, peacefully passed away in her Moyock, North Carolina home surrounded by loving family members.

Leatrice was born in New Durham, NH on Christmas Day, 1923 to Ruby Christina Stewart and John Tracey. She was raised in Bremen, Maine with her three siblings and her mother where she helped support her family by dropping out of school and working varied jobs, including cleaning fish and hooking rugs. This self-effacing surrender of her education was the beginning of Leatrice growing into one of the strongest, most benevolent, selfless women that the world has ever be graced with.

Leatrice met Eliot Menzis Gamage in the late 1930s, and they were married August 31, 1940. They spent 67 years creating, flourishing and cherishing their family together. The couple welcomed their first son, Lee, born in Rockland, followed by Seth and Wayne. During those lean times, Leatrice would make clay out of flour and water, which kept the boys occupied for hours at the kitchen table. In 1955, the family moved to Mexico, Maine, and it was here that they were blessed with their only daughter, Janet, welcomed by three big brothers.

Throughout these years, Leatrice could always be found working, be it in her kitchen creating delicious meals and desserts on a small budget, or working in retail shops, diners and the like. Leatrice was an extremely hard worker. She personally worked diligently to advance her reading and writing skills. Despite very little formal education, Leatrice was very bright, enjoyed reading and word games and even into her 95th year, she was a highly competitive Cribbage player.

In 1978, Leatrice and Eliot retired and purchased their treasured home on Gamage Lane in Rockland where they could look out at sunsets over beautiful Penobscot Bay. Not long after, their daughter Janet and her two children, Andrea and Tom, moved in. Leatrice and Eliot were both very happy to have the time to help raise their grandchildren and immeasurably aided in producing two bright, compassionate and driven adults.

If Leatrice did not win you over with her sparkling smile or her infectious laugh often heard in the house on Gamage Lane, she could certainly do so with her cooking! She concocted magnificent meals for her large and
constantly growing family and friends. Leatrice and Eliot eventually counted eleven grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. She continued to devise delicious holiday family feasts well into her late 80s! Those that
knew her will remember her common saying that “I am not stubborn! I am determined!” And, yes, she was!

This was proven time and time again, as Leatrice cared for Eliot after a stroke that left him chair bound. In her 80s, Leatrice could pull all 225 pounds of Eliot out of his wheelchair with one hand and make it look easy!

After 95 meaningful years, Leatrice was eager to join her husband, Eliot Gamage, her daughter and best friend, Janet Erickson, her granddaughters, Andrea Lea Farrell and Bonnie Lee Gamage Seymour, and her great granddaughter, Nikole Gamage who preceded her in death.

She is succeeded by her sons and daughters-in-law, Lee and Susan Gamage of North Carolina, Seth and Mary Fran Gamage of North Carolina, and Wayne and Brenda Gamage of Maine, as well as her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and countless friends.

In her 95 years, Leatrice touched so many lives and inspired those that knew her to strive to be their best possible selves. We are blessed to have known and loved this compassionate and amazing woman.

Please join us in celebrating the life and accomplishments of Leatrice Christina Gamage on Thursday, May 14, 2020, from 5 - 7 p.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerick Street, Rockland, ME 04841.

The funeral and graveside service will be held at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home on Friday, May 15, 2020 at 11 a.m.

To share a memory or condolence with the Gamage family, visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.