The mother of seven gave generously to others and volunteered for years at an alcohol and drug detox center.
Melanie Creamer
Melanie Creamer is a news assistant, who's worked at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram for nearly 16 years. She oversees various responsibilities from monitoring the news and business email addresses – to fetching old newspaper articles and photos from the archive.
She’s the face behind the popular business “On the Move” column, which appears in Tuesdays and Thursdays newspapers.
A compassionate and soft-spoken woman, Melanie is also the writer of the newspaper’s feature obituary. Many of her colleagues say she has one of the toughest jobs in the newsroom. She tells heart-breaking stories of love and loss. She listens as parents sob uncontrollably over the tragic death of their child. She writes touching stories about couples who have been married for 60 plus years, and then die within days or weeks from each other.
Melanie was the recipient of the Maine Press Association’s Unsung Hero Award in 2015.
A native of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, she graduated from Fitchburg State College in 2000 with a degree in professional writing. She lives in Scarborough with her fiancée and is a co-parent to two daughters.
Feature obituary: John Arsenault Jr., 81, longtime bus driver for Cumberland/North Yarmouth schools
John Arsenault Jr., a longtime bus driver for the Cumberland-North Yarmouth school department, died Monday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81. Mr. Arsenault joined the school department in 1963. His bus route was based in North Yarmouth. He drove two generations of students to schools in Cumberland and North Yarmouth over […]
Feature obituary: Peter W. Danton, 86, served 7 terms as Democratic state senator
He began his political career as police commissioner of Saco and worked in two Maine gubernatorial administrations.
Feature obituary: Darrel Thurber, 64, longtime Pownal road commissioner
He is remembered by his family as a loyal friend and hardworking man who was generous with his time and talents.
Feature obituary: Gerald ‘Jerry’ Seavey, 81, longtime owner of Seavey’s appliance store in Windham
Mr. Seavey was a respected and trustworthy businessman who had a loyal following of customers.
Feature obituary: Armand Collins Jr., 44, former cook
Mr. Collins was a beloved member of Portland’s recovery community.
Feature obituary: Michael Scarks, 61, revitalized many historic Portland properties
The prominent real estate developer is remembered as a devoted dad and friend who had a passion for flying and climbing.
Feature obituary: John Peverada Jr., 87, former firefighter and boxing champion
Mr. Peverada became a professional boxer after winning the Maine amateur middleweight title and boxing in the 1948 Olympic tryouts.
Feature obituary: Joan Hutchins, 86, operated funeral home with compassion
The Portland woman also was noted for her charitable endeavors.
Feature obituary: Scott Hartley, 50, retired sergeant for the York County Sheriff’s Office
Mr. Hartley also was an active member of the Orchard Masonic Lodge No. 215.