WESTBROOK — Louise Jones Plouff, born in Gardiner, July 21, 1932, passed away Saturday, April 7, in a nursing facility in Westbrook. A wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, daughter and friend to all who knew her, Louise lived a full life.
Born during the height of the Depression era to Lester and Helen Jones, Louise grew up in rural Gardiner with family nearby, graduating from Gardiner High School in 1950.
She went to work at CMP and attended night school before meeting Henry Plouff, of Richmond, being married in October 1954. They started a family together, which would grow to three sons while building a new home in Dresden, later returning to live in Richmond where both Louise and Henry could walk to work — Louise at the A&P Supermarket, where she would go on to hold various positions in multiple communities for several years.
In 1979, Louise and Henry built another new home in Greene as both changed jobs, Louise going to work for the superintendent of schools for the Oak Hill school district.
After her second working career, Louise retired in 1992 to travel America, crisscrossing the country with their fifth-wheel camper, going to Alaska and all points in between. In 2007, Louise and Henry settled into a condominium in Auburn while continuing to spend their winters in Florida.
Louise was active in her sons’ school affairs, was a longtime Cub Scout den mother, and as a child from the Depression, always sought more for her family. Camping adventures to remote parts of northern Maine and Bar Harbor became regular summer excursions, along with frequent beach trips to Reid and Popham state parks.
Louise and Henry took the family to Washington, D.C., and to places she had never experienced as a child, working hard to be a good provider, saver and explorer for her family. To look back, Louise and Henry, always a great team, created a comfortable life for her extended family. Social and outgoing, Louise’s expansive family stretched far beyond bloodlines.
Always serious and proud of her work, Louise was a valued employee. After retiring, Louise was an active volunteer for CMGH for almost two decades, earning acclaim for her commitment to helping others.
Besides her family, perhaps Louise’s greatest joy was returning to see friends every winter in Port Richey, Fla. She cultivated a comfortable life in the South, visiting Busch Gardens, Clearwater and exploring Florida like she had Maine. Louise loved to share her Wall Street Journal with like-minded friends.
Louise’s family includes husband, Henry, now living in Portland; her three sons, Tim and wife, Kathy, from Otis, Jeff and wife, Cathy, from Woolwich, Gary and wife, Maureen, from North Andover, Mass.; plus her four grandchildren, Jennifer, Erin, Juliet and David; as well as two great-grandchildren, Caleb and Henry.
Louise, the oldest of five, is survived by her sister, Mary LaLumiere, from Cumberland; and brothers, George Jones and wife, Cynthia, of Arizona, David Jones from South Portland, and Brian Jones and wife, Sandra, of Gorham; plus sister-in-law, Claire Sidelinger, of Richmond. Many nieces and nephews are part of the extended Plouff and Jones families.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.KincerFuneralHome.com.
Louise J. Plouff
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