Norman Abbott Gosline
GARDINER – Norman Abbott Gosline, 83, of Gardiner, died after a short, but valiant, fight with cancer on March 23, 2019. Born Nov. 6, 1935, at Gardiner Hospital in Gardiner, he was the son of the late Arthur N. Gosline Sr. and Katherine R. (Wadsworth) Gosline.Norman was the youngest of six siblings, Mary Frances (Fran) Gosline Towle, Walter Wadsworth Gosline, Arthur N. “Skip” Gosline Jr., Ann Margaret Gosline Blaisdell, and Robert W. “Bob” Gosline.Norman attended the McKinley School of West Gardiner, Gardiner High School, the University of Maine (Orono) the latter as a member of the Phi Mu Delta Fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree (Economics major), and post-graduate studies in Real Estate Law and Finance at Boston University as well as numerous professional classroom Real Estate studies at the University of Connecticut and Indiana University,Norman was a well-respected Real Estate professional with 50+ years in Real Estate Appraisal, Brokerage and Consulting serving Maine to New England and the Maritime provinces of Canada. He received many honors and awards such as Realtor to Realtor Emeritus, President of the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors, President of the Maine Association of Realtors, Co-Founder and Dean of the Tri-State Realtor Institute, and Director of the National Association of Realtors. In the appraisal field, Norman earned the coveted Member, Appraisal Institute (MAI) professional designation, served twice as President of the Maine Chapter of the society of Real Estate Appraisers, served as President of the New England Chapter of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers, Chair of the Northeast Region of the Appraisal Institute, and served two terms on the National Board of Directors for the Appraisal Institute. He was designated a Counselor Real Estate (CRE) becoming the second ever for the state of Maine. In recognition of his standing in the Real Estate community, Norman was selected to visit and meet with officials and participants of the Peoples Republic of China by the Eisenhower Foundation “People to People” Program in June of 1994. He was a Charter Member and Co-Founding Board of Directors of the Maine Self Storage Association. He has been a member of Kora Temple Shrine Motor Corps for over twenty years, a public member of the State of Maine Land for Maine’s Future Board and its Appraisal Oversight Committee. Final point of Norman’s service to the public is his rejuvenation of the Gardiner Public Landing, The Great Kennebec River Whatever Race and his many contributions to the Augusta Historical Society.During his youth and early adulthood, Norman was a communicant of Christ Episcopal Church. He also had a distinguished 50+ year involvement with the Gardiner Rotary Club serving as a President as well as the Club’s second ever honored as a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He also served on the Gardiner Planning Board and the City’s Ambulance Advisory Committee.Always interested and observant, Norman made contributions to his community, State and Nation as well as a follower of National and World affairs as reported by the media and, demonstrated his integrity by being asked to serve as best man at his late first wife’s second marriage ceremony.He was predeceased by his first wife Joan Crosman; their daughter Lee, her son Troy, and Norman’s stepson William K. Hoch, Jr. and William’s wife Kimberly.Norman is survived by his wife of 42 years, Shirlene Heath Hoch Gosline, his loving and patient wife; son Jeffrey, his wife Sandra of New London, Pa. and their three sons, Matthew and his wife Brandy Phillips and their two girls Isabella and Sophia, Benjamin, and Nicholas, son Mark, his wife Brenda of Waterville, ME and daughter Hannah, step-children Jolene Hoch, her partner Mike Coutts of Randolph, ME and her daughter Andrea and her partner Dayna Kramer, Ellen M. Hoch of Connecticut, his granddaughter Tiffany and husband Brendan and their four children, Taylor, Leah, Cole and Maggie, as well as a near score of nieces and nephews from Maine to California to Florida. Additionally, beloved ‘daughter’ Meredith ‘Merri’ Lindstrom and an exceptional professional assistant for over 40 years, Donna Phillips.
Visitation will be held at Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner, on Thursday, March 28, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A funeral service be held on Friday, March 29, at 11:00 a.m., at Christ’s Episcopal Church, Dresden Avenue, Gardiner, Maine, with Rev. Kerry Mansir presiding. A Spring Burial will be held at Oak Grove Cemetery in Gardiner.Arrangements are in the care of Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website: familyfirstfuneralhomes.com Memorial donations may be made in Norman’s memory to the: Center for Grieving Children 555 Forest Ave. Portland, ME 04101
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