Person:Guida Wardwell (1)

Member of the Chorus in Farmington State Teacher's College performance of "Pirates of Penzance" in 1947.

After marrying, they moved to Rochester, NY where she taught before becoming a full-time mother. After a few years with Eastman Kodak, Ralph and Guida moved to Massachusetts where he went to work for Raytheon.

Meredith, NH-----Guida Wardwell Martin, 76, of 69 Hawk Ridge Road, succumbed to ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) at her home on Wednesday, August 18, 2004.

Mrs. Martin was born August 29, 1927 in Orland, ME, the daughter of H. Robert and Una (Hutchins) Wardwell. She was educated in the local schools in Orland and Bucksport, ME and received a B.S. in Education from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1950. In her early years, she was a public school teacher in Bangor, ME and Rochester, NY. She was a member of The Congregational Church of Laconia and a past member of The First Congregational Church of Searsport, ME, The Central Congregational Church of Chelmsford, MA and The First Congregational Church of Bristol, RI. She served as a deaconess and Sunday school teacher in the latter churches. She was an active supporter of the Good Will Hinckley School for homeless children in Hinckley, ME and was awarded an honorary diploma by the graduating class of 2000.

Mrs. Martin and her husband of more than 52 years, Ralph, came to Meredith in 1998 from Belfast, ME. She and her husband traveled extensively after his retirement in 1992 as a Vice President of Raytheon Company. At various times during his career they lived in Bristol, RI, Chelmsford, MA and London, England.

Survivors include, in addition to her husband, Ralph, of Meredith, a daughter, Judith Shoemaker and husband, George Shoemaker, of Bristol, RI and two sons, Robert and wife, Bonnie, of Nashua, NH and Richard of Merrimack, NH. Mrs. Martin is also survived by two brothers, Raymond Wardwell, of Verona Island, ME and Duane Wardwell, of Orland ME: two sisters, Gail Wight and Elizabeth Wight of Bucksport, ME.; nine grandchildren, Kimberley Matthews, Christopher Shoemaker, Christina Shoemaker, Ryan Martin, Jillian Martin, Tiffany Gladstone, Jason Snow, Adam Martin and Ross Martin as well as three cousins, Philip Hutchins, Suzanne Williams and Vikki Billings and an aunt, Cora Jones. She was predeceased by a brother, Richard Wardwell.

Calling Hours will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2004 from 3:00-6:00 PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH. A Funeral Service will be held on Sunday, August 22, 2004 at 2:00 PM at the Laconia Congregational Church, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH. Rev. David Travers, Interim Senior Pastor of the Church, will officiate.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Orland Methodist Church, Orland, ME on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 at 2:00 PM.

Burial will be in the family lot at Oak Grove Cemetery, Orland, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Community Health & Hospice, Inc. 780 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246 or to Good Will Hinckley School, PO Box 159, Hinckley, ME 04944."

-Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is in charge of the arrangements.

1. ↑ The Providence Journal 19 August 2004.
2. ↑ The Providence Journal 19 August 2004.