PORTLAND – Elizabeth Hay Henderson, 85, of Portland, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. Born in Portland on Aug. 13, 1937, she was the daughter of Lloyd G. and Ruth (Libby) Hay. She had the joy of growing up by the sea and living in Maine her whole life.

After graduating from South Portland High School, she went to Colby College. Later in life, she decided she needed an educational upgrade and earned a second Baccalaureate degree at Westbrook College studying Computer Applications and Programming. She followed that with a master’s degree, M.S. in Adult Education.

She taught at Longfellow School and worked for her father at Hay and Peabody Funeral Home in Portland. She continued to work in funeral service after her children were born. In 1985, she opened her own floral business, Legion Square Florist.

She married her first husband, Peter Wilkinson in 1960. They had three children, Suzanne M. Witthoft of Texas, Sarah E. Young of South Portland and the late Stephen Hay Wilkinson who died in 2012.

She married her second husband, R. Daniel Gauvin in 1980.

At 49, she married her third husband, Richard D. Henderson. They were married 31 years and lived in Cumberland.

She is survived by her daughters; sister Martha Hay of South Portland; and stepchildren Scott Henderson, Randall Henderson, Stephanie Henderson and Rebecca Hall. She is also survived by three grandsons, Johnathan Smith, Zachariah Wilkinson and Matthew Wilkinson, four granddaughters, Erika Sobieraj, Julia Wilkinson, Saskia Whitthoft and Lily Young; along with nine step-grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 15 at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.LindquistFuneralHome.com for the Henderson family.