Vietta Berube Hamblen

GORHAM – Vietta Berube Hamblen, of Gorham, passed away at home on Jan. 9, 2025. Born Nov. 9, 1931 in Fall River, Mass., she was the daughter of Anita Alice Gamache Bérubé and Alfred Joseph Bérubé. Vietta was the third of six brothers and sisters.

She met Calvin Harrison Hamblen, from Gorham, while he was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. They married in November, 1954. They enjoyed their freedom while they were young, moving around from Boston to the Bay Area of California, to Hampton Beach, N.H., and then to Williston and Richmond, Vt. as Cal worked on the I-89 project. They moved their young family to Maine in 1963 to live on the Hamblen farm in Gorham.

Vietta enjoyed singing. Her younger brother remembers her singing duets with sister Yvette at dusk, with brother Bert accompanying them on the accordion while they rowed along the shore on Watuppa Pond in Fall River, entertaining the neighbors. People would applaud at the end of each song. She sang soprano and Yvette sang alto.

Vietta took a job as an administrative assistant once her children reached junior high school, particularly enjoying working in the Music Department at the University of Maine Portland Gorham, now the University of Southern Maine. In retirement she was a hospice volunteer for many years. When Vietta came to look after her father, his spirits took a positive turn. The caring environment allowed him to live independently for 13 more years. Her kindness also manifested itself with her 11 great-grandchildren…every Christmas, Vi would send a wrapped gift to each one of them, even at the age of 93 years.

Survivors include two siblings, Jeannine Berube of Houston, Texas and Ned Berube (Marge) of Carlisle, Mass.; Vietta and Calvin’s three children, Robert (Jane), Denise (Mark) and Charles (Deidre); and grandchildren Emily, Hanna, Madeleine and Grant; David, Laurel, Rachel, Calvin and Walker; and Chanchala; great grandchildren: 11 and counting.

We would like to thank Alta Warren of Cornish who was Vi’s caretaker for the past ten years, and, prior to that, Calvin’s caretaker. Alta is thoughtful, caring and has been a great help to the Hamblen family. We appreciate it.

Vietta chose to donate her remains to the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine with arrangements through Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford. A service will be held in the spring.

In lieu of flowers,

the family asks that donations be made to:

Hospice of Southern Maine

390 U.S. Rte. One

Scarborough ME 04074