DELTONA, Fla. — Mildred Luce, 95, a longtime resident of Wyman Township passed away on Sept. 13, 2009 at the home of her daughter, Janet Luce Zambuto, in Deltona, Fla., where she had been making her home since 2007.

Mildred was born in Falmouth in 1914 and was introduced to Wyman Township when she went for a ride on a motorcycle with her late husband, Ralph. It was in 1964 that the couple decided to make their permanent home in Wyman Township where they purchased 60 acres and built their home. To make a living, the couple decided to erect a building that would house a Laundromat on the bottom floor and a motel on the second floor. The motel was named Mountain View Motel and operates today. In 1971 the Luces hosted the Italian ski team for which Mildred cooked and cleaned and as everyone said, “She did good, as they went on to win the world cup races.” For more than 11 years former New York Yankee ball player “Rocky” Colovito and his brother, Dom, spent their hunting vacation with the Luces at the motel.

Mildred loved going to Baxter State Park with her daughter Janet, volunteering their services to keep the camps at Baxter clean. It was Mildred’s job to get rid of the dead mice as Janet wouldn’t touch them.

Mildred sold the motel in the 1990s but continued to “live the Maine life.” In February Mildred had her legs crushed by a trailer truck and was a long time recuperating.

We all remember when Mildred made the National News in 2005 when she rescued her pet cat from a bob cat and became known as “Bobcat Millie.” In 2007 Mildred moved to Florida to live with her daughter Janet. In 2008 Janet said that Mildred was very active weeding and growing her beautiful flowers, plants and tree’s. In 2009 Mildred at 95 finally stopped walking and working and passed away peacefully in her sleep, said Jane.

En route home from Florida with Mildred’s ashes, Janet spent a couple of days at Baxter State Park catching some fish “in honor of her mother” exclaiming that Baxter State Park was her favorite place in the world.

A memorial service was held for Mildred in Deltona and another one will be held in Falmouth on Oct. 9

Mildred is survived by her son, Ralph Luce of

Annapolis, Md.; daughters, Joan Taylor of Deltona, Fla., Martha Waltz of Key West, Fla., Janet Zambuto of Deltona, Fla., Margaret Luce of St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Cynthia Luce of St. Croix, Virgin Islands; 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Two sons, John Robert and Frank Norman predeceased Mildred.

Friends in the area may make a donation in Mildred’s memory to the Franklin County Animal Shelter at 550 Industry Road, Farmington, Maine 04938.