PORTLAND – Innez I. (Dunham) Kierstead, 100, passed away on Friday morning, October 9, 2020, at Seaside Nursing Home, Portland.

She was born on October 18, 1919, in Portland, Maine, the daughter of Almond and Bertha (Peary) Dunham, the third of five children. She was a lifelong resident of South Portland and attended South Portland schools.

On June 15, 1940, she married Edgar (Casey) Kierstead.

She worked at the W.T. Grants department store until her children were born and remained a stay at home mom until her children went to school full time. Innez then cashiered at Shaw’s supermarket at Millcreek for twenty-five years. She would always take time off when the children were out of school for holidays, school vacations, and summers. During the summertime, many days were spent at Forest Lake at the Dunham camp, and the many Scarborough beaches.

One of her fondest life pleasures was playing cards. Any card game would do. She was partial to Cribbage, and Spite and Malice, and endless hours were spent around the dining room table playing cards and board games. There were ladies’ clubs on Thursday night rotations among homes from September to June, and in retirement the number of players were twelve, for lunch and an afternoon of card games. The numbers began to diminish, leaving Innez the last woman standing. With one exception, who was not part of the group, a dear friend, Velma Nurfe, now 107, played cards on Saturday nights for many years.

Another of Innez’s past times was bowling. Belonging to a league until September 2019, at age 99, she retired. She was one of several bowlers interviewed by WCSH TV who were over ninety years old.

Innez attended and was a member of the First Methodist Church at Browns Hill off Broadway, South Portland. When the church was sold, she was very sad but moved on to First Methodist Church at Thornton Heights. All told 90 plus years. She was active in the choir, taught Sunday school, waitressing at the bean suppers, and managing tables at the church Christmas fairs with her friend Velma.

She was a member of the Daughters of the Nile.

She was predeceased by her parents and siblings, brothers, Edgar Dunham and John (Jack) Dunham, and sisters, Corabelle Merserve and Doris Perkins. Her husband of 52 years, Edgar, passed on June 6, 1992, and daughter, Carolyn Williams on November 19, 2019.

Innez is survived by her son, Robert Kierstead and his wife, Fran, of Scarborough; son-in-law, Roger Williams of South Portland; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be 3-6 p.m., Thursday, October 15, at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, October 16, at the funeral home, followed by interment at Brooklawn Memorial Park, Portland.

Online condolences may be expressed at http://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com.

Due to COVID 19 mandates and to ensure the safety of attendees, face masks and social distancing will be observed, and visitation and funeral service will be limited to groups of 50 at a time inside the building.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Innez to Thornton Heights

Methodist Church,

100 Westbrook Street,

South Portland, ME 04106.