Roberta A. (MacLean) Place, 86, of Portland, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2019 after a brief illness and longer battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in Portland, Maine on August 4, 1932 to Walter D. and Arlene (Robbins) MacLean. As one of eight children, she lived humbly and learned frugality at a young age.
Roberta carried these traits into her 47 year marriage to the love of her life, Charles W. Place, who predeceased her in 2000. Together, they worked very hard to provide for their 4 children. As a master at pinching pennies, Roberta often worked into the wee hours of the morning making clothes for all of her children.
When she was not being the consummate homemaker, she was working evenings at W.T. Grant’s to help make ends meet. In later years, as her children got older, she worked as a switchboard operator for Casco Bank and Peoples Heritage Bank. She retired in 1997 to spend more time engaged in her favorite activities including cooking, shopping, gardening, knitting and visiting with her grandchildren.
She also enjoyed frequent weekend rides with her husband to New Hampshire and the White Mountains. Most who knew Roberta will remember her for the way she cooked for the masses. There was never a shortage of food at any family or social event that she put on, and she always was ready to offer a full meal to anyone who dropped in at any time.
Besides her parents and husband, Roberta was predeceased by two brothers: John MacLean and Walter MacLean, and three sisters: Joanne Fuleky, Eleanor Geraci, and Marilyn Brown. She is survived by two brothers: Robert MacLean and Ronald MacLean; her children Linda Powell and husband Jack of Cumberland, Laurie Hibbs and husband Dan of Portland, Lisa Lathrop of North Yarmouth and Chuck Place and his wife Jeanne of Portland; 9 grandchildren: Ethan (Joyce Woo) Powell, Nicholas (Christina) Powell, Taylor Powell (Ryan) Meaney; Jennifer Hibbs, Kelley Hibbs (Joel) Hartman, Daniel Hibbs, Stephen Lathrop (Lali Caron), Nicole Place and Matthew (Jennie) Place; and 7 great grandchildren: Olivia Powell, Vera Powell, Gavin Powell. Owen Hartman, Gracelyn Hartman, Hannah Powell, and Mila Meaney, The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Dr. Robert Fraser who always treated her with such great kindness, dignity and respect, and the wonderful devoted medical professionals and staff at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House who helped make her last days as comfortable and peaceful as possible.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 11:00 AM at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Avenue, Portland, followed by interment at New Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. Expressions of sympathy maybe made in the form of donations to, the Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging.
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