SACO — Madalene Denham, 96, of Saco, known as “Midge” and “Katie,” passed away on Nov. 22, 2014 at Evergreen Manor in Saco.
She was born in New York City on July 30, 1918, a daughter of Leo and Madalene (Gaskins) Kempinski.
Madalene was an amazing woman, who thought of life as an adventure. Family was the center of her heart, and she was very involved in their lives. Her greatest passion was traveling the world, living in Beirut, Egypt, Spain and England, as well as visiting many other countries. She was an incredible artist, a writer with published poems and a wonderful storyteller. She could command a room and keep everyone laughing. Madalene was a crafter for many years and could be found at craft fairs around New England, where she was known as “the owl lady.” She was very proud of the time she worked on the campaign for John F. Kennedy, and she says that she “sewed a button on his shirt when it fell off.”
Her hobbies included stamp collecting, knitting, sewing and needlework. She also enjoyed painting, cooking and baking, photography, gardening and bird watching. Madalene’s generosity knew no bounds, and she would always say “pass your luck along.”
Madalene was preceded in death by: her husband, Paul B. Denham; her only child, Linda K. LeRoyer; and two brothers, Leo and Teddy Kempinski.
She is survived by: a sister and brother, Addie Kendall and Erik Kempinski and his wife Louise, all of California.
She is also survived by: a sister-in-law, Jackie Kempinski; a son-in-law, Paul Engborg; her grandchildren, Dale Charles, Karen Campbell and Carla Biggert; her great-grandchildren, Tony Campbell, Dylan Campbell, Christina Campbell and Jaksen Charles; several nieces and nephews; as well as countless friends around the world.
Her family would like to thank The Wardwell and Evergreen Manor for the wonderful care and kindness.
Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 from 3-5 p.m. at Cote Funeral Home, 87 James St., Saco, followed by a memorial service at 5 p.m. in the funeral home. To send a condolence or sign the online guestbook, visit www.cotefuneralhome.com.
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