Patricia Eileen Winchell
September 5, 1931-July 29, 2019
Patricia Eileen Winchell passed away on July 29, 2019 with her family by her side at Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford.
She was born one of four children on September 5, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan to Fred and Pauline (Austin) Anspaugh. As a young girl, the family moved to Rye, NH, eventually to settle in Sanford Maine. Educated at Sanford High School, Patty met her future husband, John D Winchell Sr., with whom she settled down and raised a family of 10 children in Acton, Maine.
Patricia loved farm life and thrived in the chaos that comes with a large family. Whether she was tending to the numerous farm animals they raised or growing vegetables to sell to Shop and Save, she was happiest when she was busy and caring for her ever growing family. Usually her first words when you would walk through the door would be, “Are you hungry?” and instead of handing you a snack she would start cooking another meal. Her door was always open, and it was rare that you would drive by and not see visitors in her yard.
She loved to travel to Florida and to Myrtle Beach, often loading up her car with her grandchildren to take them on fun adventures. Just a few weeks ago she was up burning the midnight oil playing cards with her grandchildren, outlasting everyone else after the busy day of a family reunion. She was instantly “Ma” or “Grammie” to whomever she met.
She is survived by sons John Jr. and his wife Mary, David and his wife Joyce, Matthew and his wife Tina, Samuel, Peter and his wife Dorothy, Daniel, Nathan and his wife Lisa, and daughter Rebecca. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, her sister-in-law Sylvia Young and her husband Lonnie, and many nieces and nephews.
Patricia was predeceased by her husband John, two sons, Louis and Tom, granddaughters Rachel Abigail, Kelly Lynn, and Haley Patricia, her sister Pauline Andrews, and her brothers Charles and Fred Anspaugh.
Burial will be private at Maple Grove Cemetery in Acton. There will be a celebration of her life at the home of her son Nathan at 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 3 at 108 Green Brook Lane in Wells.