Alicia Merrifield

Alicia Merrifield
STANDISH -- Alicia Merrifield, formerly Alicia Ronfeldt, died Saturday, July 31, 2010. She was born in Huntington, N.Y. Her family moved to Maine in 1955. Alicia attended Standish schools and graduated from Bonny Eagle High School. She received her associates degree in journalism in 1976 and was a part-time student at USM working towards her bachelors degree in literature and writing Alicia is a published writer. She worked in the business sector for thirty years as an Administrative Assistant. Her last job was at the Arthritis Foundation in Portland as assistant to the President until the chapter was taken over by the New England Chapter. Her favorite job was working for Paul Petzoldt, a famous mountaineer who climbed The Grand Tetons, Mt. Everest, K2 and the Himalayas. In 1963, he developed the first American Outward Bound program. 'He was a joy to work with,' she said. Alicia also worked at Westbrook College, Dental Hygiene School and worked as a consultant when an Interim Director Took over.
Alicia was a member of the Maine Writer's and Publisher's Alliance and the International Society of Poets. She was nominated by them as Poet of the Year 2000 for her poem 'Kidnapped'. She also published articles for the Moody News out of Lewiston. Alicia was currently working on a narrative, non-fiction, family saga.
Her greatest joy in life, besides her family, was writing, stamp collecting, studying religion, and pursuing genealogy work and flower gardening. She loved to document things and made up eight family albums consisting of 200 pages of family history, documents and pictures. She also made an album for her husband about his family. Alicia was active as a volunteer and did work for Prison Fellowship, Save the Children, World Vision, The Arthritis Foundation, Regional Transportation Program, American Heart Association and
Alicia Merrifield
Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging working as a Money Minder for the elderly. She was nominated Volunteer of the Year by KISC in 1994. Alicia also was a Clerk of Standish Evangelical Free Church, Deaconess, Advisory Board Member and Auditor as well as Past President of the Standish PTO and Secretary for Standish Little League in the early 80's. She was instrumental in getting the referendum passed for the building of the Edna Libby School in Standish. In high school, she was active in the arts and handled publicity for events. She was in Chorus, Girl's Trio and All State and was the first recipient of the Bonny Eagle Chorus Award. She spent one season with Portland Lyric Theater. In later years, poor health curtailed her activities, but she did assemble hygiene kits and school kits for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Alicia is survived by her husband, John; son, John Jr. and his wife Sabrina; five grandchildren, Jennifer Maynard of Ocala, Fla., Kellie Varilly of Greenfield, Mass., Matthew Haskell Merrifield of Scarborough and Sophia and Sabrina Merrifield of Standish; two great-grandchildren; three brothers, Walter of Standish, Alex of Limington and Jeffrey of Windham and a sister, Edith Hanson of Windham. She was predeceased by her youngest son, Jason in 1997 and a step-daughter, Candis Coy.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, August 4 at the Dolby & Dorr Funeral Chapel, 76 State Street Gorham from 5-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 5 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, River Road, Windham at 10 a.m. Burial will be private in Friendship Cemetery, Standish.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Alicia's memory may be made to: The Good Shepherd Food Bank
PO Box 1807
Auburn, ME 04211