Hazel Ione Colby

BOSTON -- Hazel Ione Colby, 81, of New Sharon, died Sunday evening, Sept. 14, 2008 at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston surrounded by her family.

She was born in Hampden on Oct. 10, 1926, a daughter of Clyde and Viola (Downs) Bates and on May 6, 1944, married Clarence R.Colby in Bath. He died Nov. 5, 2006. Mrs. Colby worked as a postal clerk and in her later years was a homemaker. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, and working around her home.

She is survived by two daughters, Sherry Callahan of Athens and Debbie Bailey and her husband, Jeffrey, of Westport Island; a son, Clarence Colby Jr. and his wife, Darlene, of Wiscasset; a brother, Benjamin Bates and his wife, Lucille, of Pittsfield; sisters, Pauline Dorr and her husband, Albion, of Bangor and Madeline Moon of Newburgh; six granddaughters; two grandsons; two great-granddaughters; two great-grandsons; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a sister, June Tegethoff.

The family would like to thank the New Sharon Volunteer Fire Department, Northstar Ambu-lance, the staff at Franklin Memorial Hospital, Central Maine Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and LifeFlight of Maine for all of their care and concern.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the center one hour prior to the service. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the new Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Augusta.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or to United Cerebral Palsy, 1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.