Elizabeth Gail Plante

Elizabeth Gail Plante was born to Maizie Elaine and John Everett Hayes of New Durham, NH on September 29, 1947. Unhappy with her given name, she chose to use her middle name, and ignore anyone that dared call her Elizabeth. 

An only child, she was the apple of her Daddy's eye, and that feeling was mutual. She enjoyed growing up in the tiny rural town of New Durham surrounded by a close, extended family. She was proud to be a part of Kingswood High School's first graduating class in 1965. She remained content to be a small-town girl until her last breath. 

Gail was a devoted mother that worked hard and made more sacrifices than her daughter can count, to provide and spent the majority of her free time with family. 

She was a hard worker and spent many years as an emergency and police dispatcher for the Strafford County Sheriff's Office and South Berwick Police Department, also covering Berwick and Eliot, Maine. This career was intense and difficult but very rewarding. The hardships of answering calls and providing appropriate care for people during some of their worst moments in life, cannot be overstated. She was very proud to do so. When she retired, she missed it and her colleagues greatly.

In her spare time, Gail loved Bingo, basking in the sun, her grandbabies, daisies, the ocean, true crime and had a serious sweet tooth her family enjoyed indulging. Grammy Gail spent a significant time helping raise her grandchildren, and adored every single one of them. Her pride was immeasurable.

Gail was predeceased by her father John Everett Hayes and her mother Maizie Elaine (Demerritt) Hayes. Both losses that affected her deeply.

She is survived by her daughter Angela Powers and her husband Zachary, of Ossipee, NH.

Her grandchildren Brittany LaRoche of Ossipee, NH, Kaylee Hill and her husband Logan of Somersworth, NH, Rylie LaRoche of Dover, NH, Emily LaRoche and her partner Tarek of Westbrook, ME, Hallie LaRoche and her partner Trent of Sanford, ME, Jacob LaRoche, Reagan and Wyatt Powers of Ossipee, NH. Great grandchildren Isabella and Aiden LaRoche of Ossipee, NH and Lucien and Briar Hill of Somersworth, NH.

We'd be remiss in failing to mention one little neurotic black cat named Shadow, who is lost without Gail's lap and love.

Gail considered her ex-husband’s second wife, Edye Childs, immediate family. Edye’s daughter Erica Sarapas of Portland, ME was considered a bonus daughter, and her family was greatly loved. Growing up, Angela and Erica spent most vacations, summers and holidays together, alternating between these two Moms homes. The words “half” and “step” did not exist. They were simply family. 

Over the years since retiring from emergency dispatching, Gail spent time living in South Berwick, ME, Somersworth, NH and Ossipee, NH. For many years she lived with her daughter’s family and on February 1, 2026 passed peacefully at home with her family. Her loss is keenly felt and her family is grateful to have been given the gift of living in a multi-generational household where Gail was a Mama, a Grammy of 8, Great Grammy of 4, and most of all was just SO very loved. 

Gail wished for no services and her cremation is being respectfully handled by the kind folks of Lord Funeral Home in Wolfeboro, NH. She looked forward to spring, and her family plans to gather to plant a memorial garden in her honor. 

In lieu of flowers or donations, Gail's family would be extremely grateful to read of your memories of her on the obituary listed on Lord Funeral Homes website.

“Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” — C.S. Lewis

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