WEST GARDINER — Elsie M. Emery, 87, of West Gardiner, died Sunday, Feb. 26, following a long illness.

She was born in Fayette, Sept. 15, 1924, a daughter of Ralph and Sadie (Newcomb) Fellows. She attended Kents Hill School and left school early to take care of her brothers and sisters.

She worked at Hallowell Shoe and Gardiner shoe factories for many years. For 37 years, she operated a day care center at her home, taking care of a total of 157 children who all called her “MA.”

She was the town of West Gardiner fire warden for 17 years and fire call dispatcher for 11 years for the fire department.

She is survived by her children, Dr. Betty Dore and her husband, Richard, of Radford, Va., Sen. Bill Diamond and his wife, Jane, of Windham and Darlene McCormick and her husband, Sen. Earle McCormick, of West Gardiner; her brother, Clarence Fellows of West Gardiner; her sister, Grace Burrill of Oakland; special nephew, Wayne Withee, who took special care of Elsie; special niece, Wanda Hayes and her husband, Dana, of Augusta; six grandchildren, Robert Masciadri, Angela Atkins, Dr. Karyn Diamond, Kristin Dumont, Jim Howe and Trisha Gotreau; 14 great-grandchildren; and several other nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Leroy Emery; her brother, Leon Fellows; and three sisters, Helen Gilbert, Doris Staples and Alice Johnson.

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