Obituary for Mildred Prudence (Mitchell) Jackson
Mildred Prudence (Mitchell) Jackson, 86, died February 24th, 2022, with her family by her side after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, breast cancer, and mild COVID. A lifelong Maine resident, Millie mostly resided in Westbrook and East Baldwin, ME. At the time of her passing, Millie was a resident of Our Lady of the Meadows in Richford, VT.
Born in 1935 to Clinton and Margaret Mitchell in Dover-Foxcroft, ME. Millie grew up among seven siblings on their family farm. She learned the value of hard work and a deep love of nature. When she was nine, the family farm burned to the ground and they lost everything. The family had to split up and stay with neighbors until their home could be rebuilt. Thus, "Don't throw anything away," and “Reduce, reuse or recycle” became deeply ingrained family principles.
Millie graduated from Foxcroft Academy in 1953. She put herself through college waitressing summers at the Cascade Inn in Saco, ME. She earned her degree in home economics from UMaine @ Orono in 1956. After college, she taught at Corinth Academy. Millie also worked as a Registered Dietician for Portland (ME) City Hospital.
In 1957, Millie married Wayne Latham Jackson of South Portland, ME. Millie was a devoted mother and homemaker. She was a talented cook, especially known for her pies, blueberry muffins, breads, and toll-house cookies. Her homemade baked beans became a family legend. Millie loved RV camping (especially annual trips with daughter Gail), daily walks, swimming, travel, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, gardening, singing, and berry-picking. She visited family as often as possible, in Alaska, Oregon, Vermont, and Maine.
Millie was a role model for kindness, empathy, and positivity - despite her challenges with hearing loss. She participated in a National Institute of Health genetic study for non-syndromic, degenerative deafness. She also was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology prototype cochlear implant recipient and paved the way for three of her four children, who benefit from cochlear implants.
Millie was predeceased by her husband Wayne in 2004, her parents, and her four brothers: Myron, William, Stephen (John) and Arthur Mitchell; three sisters: Jane Waltz, Alice & Marilyn Mitchell; son-in-law, Ronald Laubenstein; and a granddaughter, Katie Laubenstein.
Millie is survived by her four children: Karen J. Laubenstein, Anchorage, AK; Dianne E. Giddinge (Larry), Gray, ME; Gail J. Wolff (Peter), Georgia, VT; and Thomas W. Jackson (Robin), Beaverton, OR. She was "Meme" to her grandchildren: James Laubenstein; Brian Giddinge and Ashley (Giddinge) Parkes (Alexander); Abbie, Andrew, and Nicholas Wolff; and Thomas and Emily Jackson. She leaves one great-grandaughter, Lennon Giddinge. Millie is also survived by her sister Evelyn Cookson and brother Richard Mitchell (Dianne), and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and their families.
The family would like to thank the following for all their support of our mom: the staff at Our Lady of the Meadows, Franklin County Home Health & Hospice, caregivers Loralee Meserve & Charlene Young, Home Instead staff and the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Special thanks goes to mentor and close family friends David B. Clement and Sherry Barstow.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers are encouraged for Our Lady of the Meadows (1 Pinnacle Meadows, Richford, VT 05476), the Susan G Komen organization for breast cancer research (www.komen.org), or the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org/maine).
“Mom is in the gentle breezes, the flowers in the spring, songbirds’ serenades and the beauty nature brings.”
Born in 1935 to Clinton and Margaret Mitchell in Dover-Foxcroft, ME. Millie grew up among seven siblings on their family farm. She learned the value of hard work and a deep love of nature. When she was nine, the family farm burned to the ground and they lost everything. The family had to split up and stay with neighbors until their home could be rebuilt. Thus, "Don't throw anything away," and “Reduce, reuse or recycle” became deeply ingrained family principles.
Millie graduated from Foxcroft Academy in 1953. She put herself through college waitressing summers at the Cascade Inn in Saco, ME. She earned her degree in home economics from UMaine @ Orono in 1956. After college, she taught at Corinth Academy. Millie also worked as a Registered Dietician for Portland (ME) City Hospital.
In 1957, Millie married Wayne Latham Jackson of South Portland, ME. Millie was a devoted mother and homemaker. She was a talented cook, especially known for her pies, blueberry muffins, breads, and toll-house cookies. Her homemade baked beans became a family legend. Millie loved RV camping (especially annual trips with daughter Gail), daily walks, swimming, travel, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, gardening, singing, and berry-picking. She visited family as often as possible, in Alaska, Oregon, Vermont, and Maine.
Millie was a role model for kindness, empathy, and positivity - despite her challenges with hearing loss. She participated in a National Institute of Health genetic study for non-syndromic, degenerative deafness. She also was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology prototype cochlear implant recipient and paved the way for three of her four children, who benefit from cochlear implants.
Millie was predeceased by her husband Wayne in 2004, her parents, and her four brothers: Myron, William, Stephen (John) and Arthur Mitchell; three sisters: Jane Waltz, Alice & Marilyn Mitchell; son-in-law, Ronald Laubenstein; and a granddaughter, Katie Laubenstein.
Millie is survived by her four children: Karen J. Laubenstein, Anchorage, AK; Dianne E. Giddinge (Larry), Gray, ME; Gail J. Wolff (Peter), Georgia, VT; and Thomas W. Jackson (Robin), Beaverton, OR. She was "Meme" to her grandchildren: James Laubenstein; Brian Giddinge and Ashley (Giddinge) Parkes (Alexander); Abbie, Andrew, and Nicholas Wolff; and Thomas and Emily Jackson. She leaves one great-grandaughter, Lennon Giddinge. Millie is also survived by her sister Evelyn Cookson and brother Richard Mitchell (Dianne), and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and their families.
The family would like to thank the following for all their support of our mom: the staff at Our Lady of the Meadows, Franklin County Home Health & Hospice, caregivers Loralee Meserve & Charlene Young, Home Instead staff and the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Special thanks goes to mentor and close family friends David B. Clement and Sherry Barstow.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers are encouraged for Our Lady of the Meadows (1 Pinnacle Meadows, Richford, VT 05476), the Susan G Komen organization for breast cancer research (www.komen.org), or the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org/maine).
“Mom is in the gentle breezes, the flowers in the spring, songbirds’ serenades and the beauty nature brings.”