FARMINGTON – Elaine (Beal) Wiley, 91, of Mount Vernon, died peacefully in her sleep on July 12, 2022, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington after a very brief illness.
She was born on Jan. 23, 1931, along with her twin sister Eleanor, to George and Alice Beal in Strong. Elaine graduated from Farmington High School and attended Farmington Normal School for one year, although she needed no schooling to be an excellent mother and Nana.
She married Norman Fish, Jr. in 1952 and they had two boys, Greg and Gary. She later married Elden “Pete” Hall, Jr. in 1993 and Harold Wiley in 2005.
She fitted many folks in shoes in the 35 years she worked at Flood’s Shoe Store on Broadway in Farmington and then she kept all the workers at the Farmington Farmers’ Union well fed with sweet treats and took good care of the farmers too over the next 10 years.
Elaine excelled most at being a Nana and making sure the grands all had at least one cookie for each hand. She loved to make quilts, knit scarves, grow roses, and painted beautiful ceramics. She also loved crosswords, reading, TV shows Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy.
In her later years she made 100s if not 1,000s of scarves to be distributed to the homeless and others in need.
Elaine is survived by her twin sister Eleanor Hamilton, her two sons, Greg Fish and his wife Robin, Gary Fish and his wife Kelli Conneely; four grandchildren, David Fish and his wife Olivia, Tina Clements and her husband Tim, Lauren Keches and her husband Greg and Ryan Fish and his partner Hunter Guarino; three great grandchildren; Adam Legendre, Alivia Stickland, and Levon Fish. She loved them all “lots and lots.” Elaine also remained close friends with her former daughter-in-law, Pat Fish.
In September, a small family remembrance ceremony will be held at the Village Cemetery in Strong.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Elaine to Franklin Memorial Hospital, 111 Franklin Health Commons, Farmington, ME 04938 where they gave her great care in her final days.
Greg and family I am so sorry for your loss! God bless you all
Gary, once again, I was saddened to hear of your Mom’s passing. May God bless her and your entire family with true peace and wonderful memories 🙏 ❤
She was a beautiful lady inside and out! I know her kind soul will be missed by many. Thoughts and prayers to you all.
Greg, So sorry to read of your mothers’ passing. She did a fine job in raising you and your brother. And, yes, she kept many of us in proper footwear for years. As my father said “those are the only two feet you’re going to have so get shoes that fit right”, and Flood’s was the place to go for that. Cherish the memories.
Greg and all: Elaine was always such a “dresser”. I never saw her in jeans…like the rest of us.
And the shoes at Flood’s….she fitted all of my family. She certainly had an interesting life, and
you boys were part of making it “interesting”. She will be remembered as one classy lady.