Matriarch’s centennial brings family together

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Although she is no longer able to see, new Bangor centenarian Annie Camber Linscott “still knits and, if you stop by to see her, she’ll give you a knitted dishtowel,” said her son Paul Linscott of Ellsworth.

“Even blind, she does an excellent job. And she loves to talk on the telephone,” he added.

Last Friday, Oct. 26, the Linscott family gathered in Bangor to celebrate the 100th birthday of this very spunky lady who was born on that date in 1901.

“She was valedictorian of her class,” her son proudly reported of the woman who graduated at the head of the Ellsworth High School Class of 1919.

After graduation, she worked for the telephone company “before Dad caught her,” Paul Linscott said.

Annie and the late Hollis Linscott, who died in 1994, were married in 1921.

They made their home in Salisbury Cove, where they raised three children and were lifelong members of the Eaton Baptist Church, which they faithfully served.

The couple’s children include Shirley Linscott Garceau, who now lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the late Russell Linscott.

Her son put his mother’s “approximate number of grandchildren” at 12, and said the number of great-grandchildren “goes up even higher!”

Annie Linscott would love to hear from her old friends, either by card, letter or telephone.

You may wish her a happy 100th birthday by writing her at The Bradford House, 218 French St., Bangor 04401, or calling 990-3950.

Although this event does not take place until December, planning and preparation are well under way for the annual Amicus Craft Fair, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, at the Multiple Handicap Center, 96 Thirteenth St. in Bangor.

Part of those preparations, however, includes receiving help from our readers.

Karen Benson of Amicus called to say the organization “is looking for donations of craft items” to be sold along with items prepared by Amicus program participants and staff.

“We can use any type of craft item,” Benson said, “and they can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, at the center on Thirteenth Street.”

If you have questions about what types of articles are appropriate and needed, call Benson at 941-2890.

Richard Peer of Hampden has written me that AARP TAX-AID is in need of volunteer tax counselors to help low- to moderate-income people with their state and federal tax returns.

Peer wrote that volunteers need no previous tax experience, because a weeklong training session in January will teach you to prepare state and federal returns.

Once the training is completed, an open-book test will be administered.

Volunteers are asked to provide a minimum of four hours a week assisting taxpayers during the tax season, which is Feb. 1 to April 15.

Volunteers are needed for many communities not now served by this program, and to replace retiring counselors.

Because you are helping those who may not be able to get their taxes done by any other method, Peer wrote, you will find this volunteer service to be “very personally rewarding.”

In some locations, electronic filing is available.

If you are interested in volunteering as a tax counselor, call Peer at 862-4660 or (800) 450-9525 or Catherine Kelly at 285-0192.

You also can volunteer by visiting metaxaide@netscape.net.

One year ago, the Bangor Daily News received a letter from Al Lendzian Jr. of Hudson, Fla., with a similar request, and he’s at it again.

Lendzian is vice commander of the Sunbelt Chapter of the 43rd Infantry Division Veterans Association.

That group is planning a reunion Jan. 24-27, 2002, at the Colony Plaza Resort in Orlando, and he is trying to locate all former members of that division.

“In spite of our best efforts, there are many veterans of World War II and the Korean War that we have been unable to contact so they can reunite with their former comrades,” he wrote.

For information about this organization, write Lendzian at 11405 Kane Lane, Hudson, Fla. 34667; call (727) 868-7268 or (727) 858-1448 or e-mail Tanker143rd@aol.com.

The Bangor Public Library has announced its latest Brown Bag Author Series at noon on five consecutive Wednesdays, beginning Oct. 31, in the Lecture Hall of the BPL, 145 Harlow St. in Bangor.

You are invited to bring your own lunch, and the Friends of the Library will provide beverages.

The first book to be discussed will be “The Smallest Color” by Bill Roorbach.

On Wednesday, Nov. 7, the subject will be “Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein’s Brain,” by Michael Paterniti.

Kimberly Ripley’s “A Cup of Comfort” is the subject for Wednesday, Nov. 14, and “Augusta, Gone: A True Story” by Martha Tod Dudman will be featured Wednesday, Nov. 28.

For more information about this series, call the BPL at 947-8336.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.