SCARBOROUGH – Della Elizabeth Hitchcox, 89, passed away peacefully on Sept. 20, 2019 after a long battle with dementia.

Della was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and married the love of her life, Douglas Hitchcox, in 1951. They relocated to Maine in 1957, creating paperwork for which Della never forgave the U.S. government. She maintained her Canadian citizenship until the end.

Della and Doug worked to build a community of dear friends, eventually settling in Cape Elizabeth to raise their children. At 46 Della was abruptly widowed, a loss she never stopped mourning. In raising her four children to fully functioning adults, she displayed an iron will. Her strength was tested when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 49 and twice in her 60’s. For her tenacity in the face of this disease, she received the Maine Cancer Foundation’s Lifetime Inspiration Award.

Della nurtured an extensive and overlapping circle of friends and was devoted to her beloved Yorkies. She was a gifted seamstress and craftsperson, accepting nothing less than perfection. She was generous with her abilities and time, whether contributing ornaments to her church fair or helping friends baste quilts. Her wicked sense of humor and turn of phrase belied her mild-mannered appearance. She enjoyed raunchy limericks, a well-placed whoopie cushion and practical jokes.

Della regularly plied her grandchildren with sugar cereals, fluffernutters and late-night hot fudge sundaes – delicacies denied her own children. She made and shared thousands of cups of tea, and never hesitated to bake a banana cake or fix a meal for a friend in need. Her baked beans were epic.

An encounter with an especially rabid Boston fan shortly after moving to Maine spawned in Della a lifelong loathing of the Red Sox. She was an avid Patriots fan, however, and a life-size Tom Brady cutout graced her room at Piper Shores.

Della always read the obituaries first. She said she needed to see if hers was there so she’d know if she had to continue on with her day. We hope that wherever she is now, that this obit has made her proud and that she is resting easy.

She will be missed by Paul Hitchcox of Monhegan, Mark and Shelly Hitchcox of Fairfax, Vt., Susan and Dave Gallo of Cumberland, Jennifer Hitchcox and Vance Huntley of South Portland; her beloved grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and long-time caregiver and honorary fifth child, Sam Gifford.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Congregational Church in South Portland on Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of Piper Shores, Hospice of Southern Maine, and Comfort Keepers for their loving care of Della these past few years. \

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in her memory to Portland Wheelers

(portlandwheelers.org)

so they can continue

their excellent work

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