BUXTON - Marjorie Mae Grant Hujsak, Marj, age 84, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on November 30, 2023.
She was born on February 28, 1939, in Addison, Maine, one of seven children born to Elisha and Isabel (Bangs) Grant.
After graduating from Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative High School in Hillsboro, NH, Marj went on to work in Manchester, NH, at the Amoskeag Woolen Mill and Amoskeag Bank. That was where she met and married, Stanley Vincent Hujsak, her husband, friend and love of 62 years.
Starting in Merrimack, NH and ending in Buxton, ME, she was the quintessential dairy farmer’s wife and partner – raising children, driving trucks and tractors, picnic lunches with Dad and kids in the hayfields, planting, gardening, canning, freezing, cooking, baking, sewing, mending, refinishing furniture, and floors, wallpapering, as well as some carpentry – making a home and doing whatever needed doing, and tackling new projects with the confidence of a pro. She loved gardening, photography, and antiques and instilled that love of gardens, photos and old things in all of her children. She was an accomplished seamstress, finding great joy in sewing and quilting throughout her life, making treasured rag dolls, clothing, and quilts for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was an avid reader, continually finding pre-loved books to read and pass on. She loved shopping and finding bargains. She couldn’t pass a good yard sale without stopping.
She raised five children to know the value of education and hard work and they were the center of Marj’s world. After ‘retiring’ from dairy farming, Marj & Stan opened the farm for cross country skiing with very little experience skiing, Marj wholeheartedly jumped into doing what was necessary – learning to ski, making her fabulous chili, hot cocoa, whoopie pies, and cookies for après ski in their Ski-A-Bit ski shed.
Over the years, they split off a few parcels of land from the Farm and as new houses popped up around them, they acquired many new friends and neighbors. Those friends and neighbors became a big part of their lives.
They built a new house (a life-long dream for Marj), set back from the road, a lovely back porch affording a beautiful view of the fields and woods of the Farm – a favorite spot for evening cocktails and long conversations with Stan, family and friends. She loved her two cats, Bella and Coco, who were never far from her lap.
Although her happy place was always at home, Marj also loved to travel and try new things, and she was really happy to have been able to travel to many places over the years with Stan and her children. They made trips to the Caribbean, Alaska, traveling throughout the US and many trips to Europe.
Marj was also a courageous fighter and a survivor, quietly beating cancer five different times since 1989. She was the center of our family and according to Stan, she made all of the big decisions for the family.
Marj was predeceased by her brothers Elisha Jr., John and sisters Ellen and Mabel. She is survived by her sisters Grace and Joyce. She is also survived by her beloved husband, Stanley; her children - Katherine Lachance and husband Steve Hodgson of Pleasington, England, Jennie Conway and her husband Jim of Westwood, MA, Madge Smith and her husband Brian of Brookline, NH, Elizabeth Hujsak of Alexandria, VA, and Michael Hujsak of Lowell, MA; six grandchildren - Jessica and her husband Matt, Matt, Emma, Zach, Spencer and Skye; and two great grandchildren - Sofia and Jack. She was our beloved Marj, Mom, Bache and Babcia.
Visitation will be held on Sunday Dec. 10th from 11 AM - 12:30 PM, with a service to held at 12:30 PM at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Rt. 22) in Buxton. A reception will immediately follow at The River Tap & Grill, 52 Golf Course Lane Hollis.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Buxton Keep the Heat On Program, 185 Portland Rd., Buxton, Maine 04093