Ann Maurine “Annie” LeSuer, 56, of Damariscotta, passed away unexpectedly at home the morning of Saturday, April 9.
Ann was born July 21, 1959 in Bozeman, Mont. to Blaine and Lorella LeSuer. She grew up in Great Falls, Mont., where she attended public schools.
She graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and moved to Seattle to work as a nurse at a University of Washington-affiliated hospital.
She met her first husband, Dr. Garth Miller, at the hospital in 1981. They married the following year and soon started a family. She gave birth to the first of her seven children, Matthew Miller, in Washington on Aug. 4, 1983.
The family moved to Redmond, Ore. in 1984, where five more children were born: Emily, Nicholas, Rachael, Jacob, and Nathaniel. She also completed training as a lay midwife while in Oregon.
The family moved to Maine in 1991, eventually building a home and settling in Edgecomb.
Ann gave birth to her seventh child, Aidan Blaine Collins, on Nov. 24, 2004, at the age of 45.
She moved back home to Montana with Aidan for a time before returning to Maine in 2011, where she spent the final years of her life in Damariscotta and Nobleboro.
Annie was a woman of many talents. At various times in her life, she was a nurse, midwife, online chat-room monitor, and writer. She was an excellent and engaging writer as demonstrated through the wellness and lifestyle articles she wrote online for Associated Content and her personal postings on her blog One Hot Mess(age).
Her creativity extended beyond the written word, however. Growing up, she was involved in chorus and drama. When she moved to Maine in the 1990s, she also participated in local theater productions, such as “Damn Yankees” at Lincoln Theater. She loved going to Broadway shows in New York City and her favorite productions were “Les Miserables” and “Phantom of the Opera.”
Annie was a beloved mother and will be forever missed by her seven children. Her children were her life’s pride and joy and she gained her greatest happiness from spending time with them. Her love for her children was effusive and unending and they grew up never once questioning the love she had for them. She did everything in her power to make every moment fun and memorable, leaving them with an abundance of happy memories.
She was close to all of her adult children and loved watching them succeed. She was a constant support in their lives, cheering on all of their endeavors. She cherished her youngest child, Aidan, and took pride in watching him learn and grow. Annie and Aidan loved to spend time together laughing, joking, watching movies, playing video games, and going on walks together. Annie loved being a mother so much, she was thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother. She achieved that dream last year with the birth of her grandson Harrison.
Annie had a keen eye for decorating, a knack for making crafts and knitting, and she was an amazing cook. She loved to make meals for her children and they adored her cooking. Annie was such a natural cook that she rarely used actual recipes and created her dishes through intuition. Many of her adult children moved out of Maine after high school, but they frequently requested that she send them step-by-step directions for some of their favorite meals so they could enjoy her cooking in between visits.
Annie exemplified the phrase “beautiful inside and out.” She was gorgeous and graceful on the outside. She loved getting dressed up for formal occasions and stunned with her glamour whenever she did. On the inside, she was sensitive, compassionate, and warm-hearted.
She was passionate about advocating for those in need and standing up for the underdog. Supporting incarcerated women and those with addiction issues were causes that were particularly close to her heart. She was an idealist who felt the tragedies of the world deeply and worked hard to make the world a better place through her kindness.
Those who knew Annie well will also remember her for her wit and charm. She had a fantastic sense of humor and especially loved a good play on words. Although she was an introvert who gained energy from alone time and the quiet pursuits of reading and writing, when she was out and about in the world, she was exceedingly friendly and loved to talk and get to know people.
Annie was a strong woman who fought every day to lead a happy and healthy life. She suffered through many traumatic events in her life and battled with addiction. Through these experiences, she was always working tirelessly to become a better version of herself. Her legacy to the world is her message of kindness, forgiveness (especially self-forgiveness), and unconditional love. Her family will strive to honor her memory by carrying out her legacy and doing their part to create a more caring and peaceful world.
She was predeceased by her parents and a brother-in-law, Dave Terry.
She is survived by her children: Matthew Miller, of Washington, D.C.; Emily Luhks and husband Sean Luhks, of Bel Air, Md.; Nicholas Miller, of Providence, R.I., and fiancee Eugenie Carabatsos; Jacob Miller, of Arlington, Va.; Rachael Oliver and husband J.W. Oliver and their son, Harrison Oliver, of South Bristol; Nathaniel Miller, of Cambridge, Mass.; and Aidan Collins, of Rockland.
She is also survived by her sisters, Joan Cornell and husband Dan Cornell, of Fort Shaw, Mont.; and Karen LeSuer Terry, of Missoula, Mont.; and nieces Kelly Cornell, Stephanie Skoog, Lindsey Cornell, Elizabeth Cornell, and Danielle Terry, as well as their families.
A service will take place at Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 16. Pastor David Ouellette will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Families Against Mandatory Minimums at famm.org or 1100 H Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20005.