Regina Gall

Regina Irene (Nicholas) Gall, 80, of Augusta, Maine, died February 16, 2016 at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine of natural causes with family at her side. Regina was born in Fairfield, Maine, daughter of the late Joseph and Bernadette (Ducas) Nicholas. She grew up in New Hampshire with her Aunt Rose and Uncle Henry after her mother passed when Regina was just six years old. She later went to live with her sister Cecile and attended Waterville High School, graduating in 1953. In 1966, Regina relocated together with her three daughters to Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach Florida, where she said that she was her “happiest.” She was proud of her position as Vice President at Hyatt San Enterprises and was instrumental in the staffing and opening of three Benihana of Toyko Restaurants (later in life impressing her granddaughters at restaurants speaking Japanese). She had loving relationships, friendships, and mostly enjoyed raising her daughters there. She ultimately returned to Maine to be closer to her growing family, living in Scarborough, Maine and working for Transco South and Pierce Atwood. After retiring in 2000, Regina relocated to Hallowell and later Augusta, Maine where she spent the remainder of her days. Regina had great courage, an adventurous spirit and a willingness to try new things. She loved to participate and watch sports. Her favorite football team was the Miami Dolphins although she later converted back to her New England roots and cheered on the Patriots. She loved the water, both the lakes in Maine and the ocean and intercoastal waterways of Florida, she accepted a boat ride every chance she got. Regina loved playing cribbage, backgammon, and Skip Bo with her family and friends. Regina was a performer at heart and loved to dance and sing. She had incredible rhythm and pitch and would often harmonize with her sisters Cecile and Adeline in three-part harmony. She performed in the first Easter Choir at Sacred Heart Church in Yarmouth, ME and had a small role in Camelot alongside her nephew and godson, Ron Siviski. She took a stab at modeling, was crowned “Miss Waterville” and participated in the Miss Maine Pageant. She loved times by the piano with the extended family singing Christmas carols, all gathering at her sister Cecile’s home … her favorite was “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and she would get up on the chair and “perform” for everyone. Regina was extremely proud of her native roots and over the past decade had researched and connected with relatives in Tobique New Brunswick, Canada. She enjoyed meeting these beautiful relatives and traveled on a few occasions to visit them with her nephew Ron Siviski and niece Mary Nicholas. One of the highlights for her was when her daughter Jayne joined the crew and made it to a traditional Maliseet Tobique First Nation Pow Wow to dance and sing “with the Indians” as she would say. They embraced her like she had grown up alongside them her entire life and for that she was extremely moved and touched by their affections. Regina was a phenomenal cook and traditions were important to her, she looked forward to the annual Tourtiere pie and homemade mustard pickles at Christmastime, and making her famous cranberry mold. She was known for her “homemade spaghetti sauce” which she adopted from one of her dear friends in Florida, Vi King. The two of them were known to cook up more than some sauce in their days! Regina had a true generosity of spirit and would give freely what she had to share. She contributed regularly to the Disabled American Veteran’s organization and various religious organizations. Nothing brought greater joy and happiness to Regina’s life than time spent with family. She adored her brothers and sisters and mourned their loss in her life. She was very close to many of her nieces and nephews throughout the years and shared many special moments with them and they with her, even up until just before her passing, she received visits from them that truly warmed her heart and soul. She LOVED drinking Margaritas with her niece Paula every Friday night for years, and always looked forward to her dinners and regular visits from niece Mary. Regina made friends easily and there were many who enjoyed her friendship over the years. One such friend even named her daughter after Regina. They made for a very full and rich life and although distance may have separated her from them, she held them closely to her heart. Overall, she cherished the time that she was able to spend with her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren, though spread out across the country, she looked forward to every opportunity for a visit. She adored them all so very much. She will live on through the love she shared, the memories created, and the traditions will go on without her. She is survived by her three daughters, Jayne (Gall) Carilo of La Quinta, CA, Jodie Gall of Seminole, FL and Janice Gall of Gulfport, FL. Her seven grandchildren: Jamie Edwards and husband James, Joan (Woodbrey) Crocker and husband Ryan, Mallory Woodbrey, Nicholas Carilo and partner Tiffany Gurrola, Jacqueline Gall, Dayna Carilo, and Kyle Bonenfant; and seven great-grandchildren: Peyton Scharf, Addison Gall, Jack Edwards, Reid Edwards, Maverick Scharf, Nicholas Carilo II, and Wyatt Edwards. Regina is survived by her sibling, brother Norman Nicholas, his wife Farolyn, and sister-in-law Dorothy Nicholas, all of Winslow, ME. She was predeceased by her parents; four brothers: Leo, William, Robert and Edward; and four sisters: Jeanette King, Cecile Siviski, Marion Will and Adeline Paquette. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to: her fellow residents at the Margaret Chase Smith House for their kindness and friendship, Catholic Charities for providing such amazingly loving staff to provide support as needed, her medical, dental, and eye care physicians for taking care of her needs but mostly for making her feel special, and for all those caregivers who spent countless hours transporting her to and from appointments and errands. She felt a special bond with all of you and expressed her gratitude often. To the staff at Maine Medical Center and The Cedars, your kindness, compassion, and loving support for both Regina and the family is deeply appreciated. The family will be honoring Regina’s wishes to celebrate her life well lived, with joy and laughter, music and song, dancing and drumming, sage and fire, with a “Celebration of Life” to take place in early summer. It was her sincere wish to be surrounded by her beloved family and friends. “Never gone, never forgotten, her spirit will live on and endure in all who loved and cared for her.”

Regina Gall

July 31, 1935 - February 16, 2016

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