Josephine W. Lebrun

Ellsworth and Hampden – Josephine W. Lebrun, 90, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2011. She was born in Big Springs, TN on January 6, 1921 the daughter of Henry and Ellen (Grubb) Wattenbarger.

Josephine was raised on a large farm in East Tennessee. At the age of 15, she took her first job as the local school bus driver. After high school, she attended the University of Tennessee before taking a job in Washington D.C. In D.C., Josephine worked for the F.B.I. during the J. Edgar Hoover administration. Josephine also had a distinguished career as a district sales manager for Avon in Maine where she was honored as the top sales producer. She was also a very active member of Altrusa while she worked with Avon.

Josephine is survived by her daughter Kathryn E. “Kay” Fitzgerald and her husband William of Traverse City, MI; son, Joseph H. Lebrun and his wife Carolyn of Ellsworth; four grandchildren, Curt Fitzgerald and his wife Teresa, Rhonda LaPierre and her husband Brett, Sharon Locandro and her husband Ron, and Lori Cunningham and her husband Derek; 10 great grandchildren; and her sister Irene Wattenbarger Kautz. In addition to her parents, Josephine is predeceased by her beloved husband, Edmond J.; grandson, John Eric Lebrun; her brother Henry Doyle Wattenbarger.

A funeral service will be held at 11am on Thursday, March 3, at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor. In lieu of flowers, donations in Josephine’s honor may be made to the Lebrun Scholarship at Husson University, 1 College Cir., Bangor, ME 04401, Attn: Development Office. Notes of condolences may be left at www.birminghamfuneralhome.com