Elaine B. (Bragdon) Robinson

Elaine (Bragdon) Robinson, 90, formerly of Standish and Gorham, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, September 30, 2023, after contracting Covid-19.

Elaine graduated from Westbrook High School in 1951 and received an Executive Secretarial degree from Bryant College, Rhode Island in 1953. She had a successful career at S. D. Warren Research Laboratory (acquired by Scott Paper and later Sappi Limited). Although her job commenced on an IBM Selectric 2, Elaine transitioned from the trusty typewriter to word processing applications on a dumb terminal and finally modern personal computers. Elaine retired in 1995 as the Administrative Assistant to Vice President-Research and a people manager after 30 years of service. Upon retirement, Elaine, and her husband Carl, enjoyed travel in their Airstream camper (which with her clever wit she nicknamed “the toaster”) including two forays to Costa Rica, as well as locations in Florida including Lake Placid, Avon Park, Chipley, Deland, and Homosassa.

Elaine was above all things an unselfish daughter, spouse, mother and grandmother. In 1959, she married her beloved husband of 55 years, Carl C. Robinson. She put aside full-time work to be a stay-at-home Mom while her daughters were young but took night work at a local department store each Christmastime to assure extra special presents under the tree. Elaine loved family activities spent at Whites Bridge/Sebago Lake first with her parents and siblings and later her own children. Each July/August, she packed everybody up (often including an assortment of cats and dogs and always Pop Tarts) for two weeks at the shared family cottage. Elaine enjoyed baking for others, crossword puzzles, attending church with her husband, knitting, and any genre of music. She was very particular to Elvis Presley in her last months of life including dancing along to “Hunk of Burning Love.”

Elaine was predeceased by her parents, Harold, and Victoria (Harvey) Bragdon, her husband of Carl C. Robinson, as well as her beloved siblings: sister Jane Shaw; brothers Harvey, George, William (Bill) and John Bragdon. Elaine is survived by her daughter Lynn Larsen of Standish; her daughter Nancy O’Donnell and husband Louis O’Donnell of Conroe, TX; as well as her grandsons Patrick and Evan. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Carol Bragdon of Standish.

Elaine embodied strength and determination in her efforts to keep mind and body strong and independent despite death of her husband in 2014 and emergence shortly after of symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Vascular dementias. She developed strong social networks, selected a supportive living community where she thrived, and continued to help others. If the travel bag on her walker was a bit heavy, it might be because she had left a small dumbbell inside after an exercise session. Words cannot express the family's thanks for the compassionate care and sense of purpose Elaine found both at Stroudwater Lodge/Avita Westbrook and later Woodlands of Bridgton/Androscoggin Hospice.

A Service celebrating Elaine’s life will be held 5PM Friday October 13th at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Avenue, with visitation from 3 PM until time of service.  To share a memory or condolence, please visit: www.athutchins.com.

In Lieu of flowers and donations, please play forward Elaine’s caring spirt by doing a kind act in her honor.