Virginia Allen Hartwell

Virginia Allen Hartwell, 98
PORTLAND - Virginia Allen Hartwell, 98, died on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at the Barron Center nursing home in Port- land. She was born on April 19, 1918, in Newton, Mass., the daughter of Percival and Winifred (Knapp) Allen. She was a graduate of Newton High School and Lasell Junior College.
Virginia was married to Gifford Newton Hartwell on April 14, 1945. In 1958 Gifford and Virginia became missionaries in Quito, Ecuador, where Virginia worked for HCJB-TV, the first TV station in Ecuador, built and engineered by Gifford. Virginia developed children's programs and puppet shows in Spanish; played the piano, organ, and accordion in Ecuadorian churches; and taught piano lessons. After leaving Ecuador in 1967, Virginia remained active in volunteer children's work and music accompaniment in churches in California, Massachusetts, and Maine. In 2010 she was awarded the Remember Me Certificate of Lifetime Achievement in Augusta.
In addition to her parents, Virginia was predeceased by her sister Noel Bastow, her husband Gifford Hartwell, and her daughter Joan Hartwell.
She is survived by her daughter Joyce and husband Larry Pelletier; as well as three grandchildren, Janee, Cara, and Jonathan Pelletier; and two nephews and a niece, Frank Hartwell, David Bastow, and Margaret Bastow.
The family thanks the Life Choice Hospice, the deaconesses of First Baptist Church, and the Barron Center for their attention and loving care.
A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held on June 9, 2016, at 10 a.m. at the Barron Center, 1145 Brighton Ave., Portland. For online condolences, please visit: www.athutchins.com

Instead of flowers, the family
requests donations be made to the
Ecuador Quake Relief Fund
donateworldvision.org