PORTLAND –  Priscilla D. Gendron, 91, of Lewiston passed away peacefully on Friday Oct. 19, 2018, at Maine Medical Center surrounded by her loving husband of 71 years, Del and her children.

She was born in Lewiston on August 11, 1927, the daughter of the late Joseph and Marguerite (Lachance) Melanson. She was raised on a farm in Canada until the age of 13 when she returned to Lewiston.

Priscilla married the love of her life on June 7, 1947, and shared 71 beautiful years together.

She worked for many years at the Pepperell Mill in Lewiston as a stitcher until her third child and then became a full-time wife and loving mother of six children.

Priscilla loved to knit Christmas stockings and in her lifetime knitted over 500 stockings donating many of them. She was a lifelong member of Holy Cross Church, member of Martindale Country Club and enjoyed golfing, dancing and spending time at the summer cottage with the love of her life Del.

Many have benefited from Priscilla and Del’s philanthropy. The YWCA Early Learning Center bears their name as well as the Franco Heritage Center. Priscilla’s love of animals was shown by the many contributions she has made to the shelter, as well as Holy Cross School, Holy Cross Church, St. Dominic Academy, Acadia Charter School, Museum LA and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. As Del worked to support his family Priscilla took care of the home front, it was said many times that Priscilla was the foundation of the family.

She is survived by her loving husband Dolard; three sons, George and his wife Diane, David and his friend Sue and Michael and his friend Sam, one daughter Diane (Gendron) Darling and her husband Bob all of Lewiston; 11 grandchildren; and 25 great- grandchildren. Besides her parents she was predeceased by her youngest son Steven, youngest daughter Celine; and by six brothers and sisters.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at www.lynchbrothers.com

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Priscilla’s life will be held on Saturday Oct. 27, at 11 a.m., at Holy Cross Church. Committal services to follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to visit of Friday Oct. 26th from 2-5 & 6-9PM at the Pinette Dillingham & Lynch Funeral Home, 305 Alfred Plourde Parkway Lewiston, ME 04240. 784-4023.

In lieu of flowers,

donations in her memory may be made to:

Greater Androscoggin Humane Society

55 Strawberry Ave.

Lewiston, ME 04240

donations will go towards the installation of a new roof