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Laconia-----Mrs. Effie Sewell, 91, of 6 Granite Street, Lakeport and formerly of 154 Valley Street, Lakeport, died at the Genesis Eldercare Network-Laconia Center on Tuesday, April 6, 2004.
Mrs. Sewell was born October 24, 1912 in Ashland, NH, the daughter of Clarence L. & Grace A. (Way) Dodge. She was a life-long resident of Lakeport. For over seventy years, she worked tirelessly for the children of the Lakeport community. Not only did she initiate a petition drive that brought the need for a traffic light in Lakeport Square before the City many years ago, she also helped to organize the families in the area in an effort to get a park put in for the kids now known as Sanborn Park. She hand made a large doll house, fully furnished with hand-made furniture, rugs, lights, etc. and donated it to raise money for the park. Her hand-made wooden circus was featured in an issue of Modern Maturity and Antique Doll Magazine and brought attention to her hand-made Flea Market Dolls, one of which she donated to the Pop Warner Team to raise funds for its trip to Georgia.
For over fifty years, she owned Sewell’s Second Hand Furniture on Valley St. and was always helping the poor or someone in need. She always let the children of the area come over to her home and make something for their parents for Christmas, Birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. She always had a large supply of craft items on hand. Every child was made to feel welcome to come over and play ping pong in the garage and horse shoes or croquet in the yard. She was also known as the “gum lady” for over fifty years. Every Friday, legend has it, any child who came to her door got a piece of Juicy Fruit Gum.
During WWII, Mrs. Sewell volunteered for the War Effort and was an Airplane Spotter, receiving a medal and a letter from President Eisenhower for her efforts.
Mrs. Sewell is survived by several nieces and nephews including Janet Shosa, Grace Desisto, with whom she lived, and Donald Dodge all of Laconia, Henry C. Dodge of Merrimack, NH; Evelyn George of Florida; a half-sister, Bernice Taylor, of Manchester, NH; many grandnieces and grandnephews and a foster daughter, Frances “Peggy” Tucker, of Missouri. She was predeceased by her first husband, Guy W. Sewell, Sr. in 1980; her second husband, Wendell H. Gilchrist, in 2001; by her son, Guy W. Sewell, Jr., in 1977; two brothers, Henry Dodge and Clarence S. Dodge who died March 21, 2004 and three sisters, Lucy Hickey, Esther Batchelder and Agnes Sargent.
Calling hours will be held on Friday, April 9, 2004 from 7:00-9:00PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH.
A Service will be held at the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home on Saturday, April 10, 2004 at 10:30AM. Burial will follow in the family lot in Union Cemetery in Laconia, NH.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sanborn Park Fund c/o City of Laconia, 45 Beacon Street East, Laconia, NH 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is in charge of the arrangements.
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