Faye O'Leary Hafford –Allagash and Fort Kent, 94, passed away on May 16, 2019 at hospital with her family by her side. She was born on April 27, 1925 in (Wheelock) St. John, Maine, the daughter of Lee and Clara (Mills) O'Leary. Her real name was Lettie Faye. She really disliked the name Lettie. You were sure to get a "stiff upper-lipped look" from her if you called her Lettie .

Orphaned as a young child, Faye was raised by her Aunt Eva (Mills) and Uncle Loomis Sawyer and Aunt Gladys (Mills) and Uncle Tom Gardner. The loss of her mother and father at an early age instilled a profound importance of family and she kept very close ties to her sister and bothers. Beatrice O'Leary White, Calvin, Elbert and Robert O'Leary, Sr.

Faye attended one room schools in her elementary education, Fort Fairfield High School, Colby College and graduating from the University of Maine at Orono (UMO) in 1965. Faye had a lifelong passion for education, working as a teacher for twenty-five years, starting in one room schools in Allagash to much larger schools throughout the State of Maine. After retirement she continued tutoring and educating young and old throughout her retirement years.

Faye was predeceased by her loving and humorous husband, J. Lee Hafford of 44 years. They had two children, Michael Lee Hafford (predeceased 2010) and wife, Vicki of Allagash; Randi H. Jandreau and husband Bryan of Fort Kent; two grandchildren Dean J. Hafford and wife Misti of Casco, Brooke S. MacDonald and husband Logan of Levant, one great-grandchild Michael Lee Hafford and many nieces and nephews.

Faye was passionate about community, politics and national pride, becoming a major player in negotiations to develop unionized labor for the Hathaway Shirt Factory in the 1940s. She believed in women's rights and advocated for those rights through leading by example with a full-time career, raising a family and working tirelessly for the betterment of her community. She led and took part in many community activities over the years, including town celebrations, numerous community fundraisers, development of a unified school system in Allagash, anti-advocate of the Dickey-Lincoln Dam Project and creation of the Northern Maine Canoe Trails. After retirement from teaching, Faye, continued to work at other jobs that included a seventeen-year stint as a receptionist at Michaud Farm on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway; and then worked into her eighties as a gate attendant for the North Maine Woods.

In addition to her passion for family, Faye dedicated much of her free time to reading, writing and poetry; authoring two songs and over twenty books based on personal experiences, folklore and history. She also enjoyed being with family on outings such as family get-a-ways, camping, fishing and hunting; of which she did much of in her retirement. She was known to go bird hunting early in the mornings while the sun was bright and the frost fresh, often times hunting while she still had curlers in her hair. Faye also enjoyed crosswords, jumbles and other word games, often challenging family to compete with her. In 1998, Faye founded and ran a community library in Allagash which today bears her name.

One of Faye's most endearing qualities was the way she really cared about people. With a steadfast belief that God is on your side, she became an un-proclaimed advisor, sounding board and confidant to a vast array of people that were drawn to her over the years. She had a way of meshing common-sense advice and faith with a homemade doughnut and a cup of coffee.

Faye received several awards over the years from the community, including; MEA-Retired Leadership Award for the Aroostook Retired Educators Association; WAGM-TV Aroostook County All-Star; Calendar of Aroostook Women, Maine Teacher of the Year for Social Studies; Woman of the Year from both Fort Kent and State of Maine Business and Professional Women's Clubs; Channel X Radio "Tip of the Hat" several times; St. John Valley Times "County Faces", Maine Public Jewelry Award; founder and namesake of the Faye O'Leary Hafford Library and the New England Patriots Education and Community Award.

Faye will be missed dearly by her family, friends and community. Calling hours will be held at Lajoie-Daigle Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with an 11:00 a.m. funeral service at the funeral home; followed by a graveside service at the St. Paul's Congregational Cemetery in St. Francis, Maine.