TOPSHAM – Shirley Alice Ricker Lessard was born in Lisbon, Maine, April 15, 1937, to Austin Ricker and Mary Moxcey Ricker Burns. She passed on May 22, 2023, at home in Topsham with family and her husband Paul at her side.

Her early years were spent in Lisbon and South Portland, before the family moved back to her mother’s hometown of Yarmouth. She was the 1954 Apple Queen, active in Glee Club, Drama Club, Orchestra, and was a terrific trombonist. Mom graduated from North Yarmouth Academy. During her class trip to NYC, she went to a Yankees game and became a lifelong fan, much to the chagrin of the family. After graduation she started raising a family and lived all over the state. Most of her time she lived in Yarmouth, Houlton, Winthrop, and Topsham.

Mom was involved in the Winthrop Junior Mother’s Club raising money for scholarships and needy families. Later she was part of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association where she made some very close friends. She and dad traveled all over the country as part of the International Chiefs of Police Association. They traveled with their friends from the association to baseball games all over the country.

She and Dad built a camp on Skitacook Lake where they spent time in the summer months over the last 50 years. In the winter, they would travel to Myrtle Beach for a month, usually with her sister and brother-in-law, Sheila and Wayne.

Mom was an avid crafter, making cards for all occasions, knitting hats and mittens, oil painting, sewing. She also played guitar and loved the piano. Mom was a terrific baker of all things sweet, bringing treats to family events was a joy of hers and to those who received.

Before her mother passed, Mom was very proud to be part of 6 living generations in the family. It was truly a treasured memory.

Mom is survived by dad, Paul Lessard with whom she enjoyed 54 years of marriage. She is also survived by her children, Gail (George) Trask, Bonnie (Sherman) Lyons, Bruce (Inigo Valencia) Howe, Sheryl Howe, Paula (Gary) Lessard Hersom. Her stepchildren, Lucille Weed, Susan (Mark) Allen, Arlene (Leo) Arris, Cynthia (Rick) Cormier, Jean (Chris) Harris. Grandchildren Jennifer Brennan, Timothy Brennan, Rory Brennan, Jessica Splude, Christopher Lyons, Brittany Howe, Suzanna, and Joey Brennan. Step-grandchildren Brandon Brewer, Brooke Bowman, Corey Allen, Tyler Allen, Bobbi Jean Maunsell, Geoff Arris, Samantha Kiesman, Jackson Lane, Molly Lane, Rebecca Lane, and Jefferson Lane. Her siblings Gary (Patricia) Ricker, Sheila Collins, Joyce (Don) Tanguay. She is also survived by numerous great grandchildren, and several great great grandchildren. Also surviving are her brother and sisters-in-law Maurice and Theresa Lessard, Aurea Levesque, and Elaine Boucher, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, step-father Harvey Burns, stepson Paul M. Lessard, granddaughter Suzanna Gail Brennan, step-great grandson Brady Farnham, brothers-in-law Wayne Collins, Robert Levesque, Norman Boucher.

Family and friends are invited to a time of visitation on Tuesday May 30, 2023 from 10am-noon, at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, a graveside service will immediately follow at Riverside Cemetery in Yarmouth. The family invites you to join them for a Celebration of Life from 2:30-6:30 pm at the American Legion on Foreside Road in Topsham, ME. Brightly colored clothing is encouraged.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view Shirley’s tribute page and to sign her online guestbook

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was Mom’s favorite charity.

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