Dorothy "Mim" Gagnon

BERLIN -- Mrs. Dorothy (James) "Mim" Gagnon, 94, formerly of 140 Green Street, Berlin, New Hampshire, passed away on Tuesday morning, March 10, 2009 at the St. Vincent de Paul Rehab and Nursing Center in Berlin. She was born in Jay, Maine on August 23, 1914, the daughter of George and Hazel (Richards) James, and she grew up in the Pine Tree State, marrying Harold O. Gagnon in Rumford, Maine on February 22, 1936. The couple moved to Berlin in 1953, where she had since resided. Ms. Gagnon had been employed by St. Louis Hospital as a Home Health Aide and also worked for the Converse Rubber Company. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Ladies Auxiliary at both the St. Louis Hospital and the Androscoggin Valley Hospital, and for years she served as Supervisor of the Check List for Ward One. She was also a member of St. Kieran Church, now known as Good Shepherd Parish. Ms. Gagnon was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching her grandchildren and great grandchildren participate in a variety of sports -- soccer, football, field hockey, basketball, ice hockey. baseball, softball, and cheerleading. In her later years she was still a familiar face at numerous Berlin High School athletic contests, as well as attending some sports events at Gorham High School and at Notre Dame Arena. She also became a "sports companion" of the Sports Editor of the Berlin Reporter, traveling with him throughout the state to watch Berlin High School and Gorham High School athletic contests. She enjoyed cheering on the area's young athletes and had a grand time socializing with her friends during and after the sporting events she attended. Ms. Gagnon was also a devout New England sports fan and seldom missed televised Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins games. She also enjoyed spending many of her summers in Maine with her family. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Harold Gagnon, and three brothers -- Lawrence, Donald, and Dwight James. Members of her family include two daughters -- Pamela Couture of Berlin and Sue Neal of Winthrop, Maine -- and grandchildren Kevin Couture and wife Cindi, Karin Dorval and husband Mark, Keith Couture and friend Sarah Dandeneau, Kathleen Melanson and husband Craig, Pamela Abzan and companion Matthew Scott, and Russell Neal III and wife Michelle. She is also survived by great grandchildren Abigail, Zander, Rebecca, Connor, Ethan, Lindsey, Russell IV, Emma, Joshua, Owen, Bradley, Thomas, Griffen, and Kolin, as well as several nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends may call at the Bryant Funeral Home at 180 Hillside Avenue in Berlin, N.H. on Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday March 14, 2009 at 9 AM at St. Anne Church of Good Shepherd Parish, 345 Pleasant Street in Berlin, with burial in the St. Kieran Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Berlin High School Athletic Program at 550 Willard Street or to the Berlin Youth Hockey Association at P.O. Box 571, both in Berlin. For more information or to sign an online guest book, please visit www.bryantfuneralhome.net.