MARY “KAY” RICHARDS LUSSIER

PORTLAND, Maine — Mary “Kay” Richards Lussier, 80, of Portland, Maine, passed away on Dec. 20, 2024, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine, after a courageous four-year battle with cancer.

Born on July 22, 1944, in Rutland, Vt., to Raymond P. Richards Sr. and Mary Ellen Ryan Richards, Mary pursued her passion for nursing with unwavering dedication. She graduated from the Jeanne Mance School of Nursing in Burlington, Vt., and earned her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Castleton State College in Castleton, Vt. Her career as a Registered Nurse in Vt. and Maine was marked by her compassionate care for countless individuals. She finished her nursing career in the Portland, Maine, Public Schools, working until her body was no longer able to provide the high standard of care she prided herself in giving to her patients.

Mary shared 58 wonderful years of marriage with her beloved husband, Maurice Lussier of Portland. Together they created a life filled with love and adventure. After residing in Ferrisburgh, Vt., they later moved to Portland to be closer to their treasured grandchildren. Mary and Maurice loved traveling and spent winters in Safety Harbor, Fla., where Mary enjoyed card games and Bingo nights with dear friends and spent time with her brother Peter Richards and his wife Lorraine.

A devoted member of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Portland, Maine and St. Peter’s Church in Vergennes Vt., Mary was admired for her strength and gratitude throughout her illness. She often expressed deep appreciation for the nurses who supported her during her cancer journey.

Mary is survived by her husband, Maurice; daughter Erin Lussier Tosi and her husband Gregory Tosi of Portland; grandchildren Jacob Tosi and his fiancée Cheyanne Ryder of North Haven, Conn., and Lauren Mary Tosi of Portland; son Brian Lussier and his wife Debbie Lussier of Newport, N.H.; goddaughter Anne Lasher Payne and her son Will Payne of Durham, N.C.; brother James Richards of Fair Haven, Vt.; brother Peter Richards and his wife Lorraine of Safety Harbor, Fla.; and sister Patricia Byrne of Brandon, Vt. She was predeceased by her parents, Raymond and Mary Richards; brother Raymond Richards Jr.; and sister Joan Richards.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the medical teams at Maine Health Cancer Care, Maine Medical Center, and the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for their compassionate care and who became members of our extended family and close confidants.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Hope Parish at St. Pius X Church on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m., at 492 Ocean Avenue in Portland. A reception will follow at Bruno’s Restaurant in Portland. Interment will take place in the spring at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Cemetery in Fair Haven, Vt.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House (Hospice of Southern Maine), 390 US Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074 or online at www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org/donate. This organization allowed Mary to pass with dignity on her own terms — a blessing to her family during her final days.

Mary’s legacy of compassion and resilience will forever inspire those who knew her. May her memory bring comfort to all who mourn her passing.

To share memories of Mary or to leave the family online condolences, please visit www.athutchins.com.◊