Tamora Liane (Nash) Burrell, 76, of Rani Dr in North Yarmouth, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on January 6, 2023, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, after a 2-year battle with cancer.
Tammy was born on February 17, 1946 in Lincoln, Maine, the daughter of the late Arthur (Sr) and Madeline (Sibley) Nash. She grew up in Lincoln, and graduated from Mattanawcook Academy. She attended the University of Maine at Orono for a short time, then moved to Portland to work at Unum, where she met her husband, John Simpson Burrell of Falmouth. They were married on a snowy Christmas Eve in 1966.
Tammy always said she did not know what she wanted to be when she grew up. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Southern Maine. After deciding that teaching was not for her, she worked for many years at Waynflete School in Portland, first as the School Secretary, then as an Administrative Assistant in the Business Office. She made many lifelong friends there. She went back to school and earned her CNA and Med Tech certification, and worked at Foreside Harbor Assisted Living, and several other locations, then finally retiring after working with Home Instead. She became very close with several of her patients that became dear friends.
Tammy was an active member of the Cumberland Congregational Church, where she was involved in Christian Education and served on many committees. She loved music, singing in the church choir as well as the AimHi Singers. She adored her animals, and adopted several cats and dogs over her lifetime. She enjoyed traveling, and had the chance to visit Europe, Canada, Japan, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the trip of a lifetime, a cruise to Alaska with her sister Anne and brother-in-law Clarence.
Most recently, her favorite pastime was playing the slots at the casino, thinking about winning big. Sometimes she would play until the early morning hours.
Tammy did all she could for her children and grandchildren, from driving them to all their activities, to running concessions, to taking them on adventures and experiences, creating many memories for all.
Tammy had a smile that lit up the room, and a laugh that you could never forget.
Tammy was predeceased by her parents, her husband John, her brother Arthur Nash, Jr, and her sister Anne (Nash) Cummings; and her dear friends, Paul and Rachel (Hartford) Berry, and Deltha Merrill.
Tammy leaves behind her sister, Christine (Nash) Gary, her brother-in-law Clarence Cummings, her sister-in-law, Judith (Burrell) Carpenter; her children, daughter Cynthia (Burrell) and husband Troy T. Matthews, son John (II) and wife Patricia (Grant) Burrell, her goddaughter Tammy Bishop and her daughter Cassady Bishop, and her grandchildren, Kyle, Ethan and Max Matthews, Zackery Burrell and his fiancé Emma Hichens, Samantha and Lauren Burrell, Bethany and Brandon Ruel, Colline and Adam Kopacz, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Friday, January 20, 2023 from 4-6pm at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. A Celebration of Life and service will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 9am at the Congregational Church in Cumberland, 282 Main St, Cumberland Center. A reception will follow the service.
Donations may be made in Tammy’s name to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, PO Box 336, Westbrook ME 04098, https://arlgp.org or the American Cancer Society, New England Division Inc., One PO Box 350, Westbrook, ME 04098, www.cancer.org
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.LindquistFuneralHome.com for the Burrell family.
