Elinor Hjulstrom

Woodland--Elinor Winnifred (Bickford) Hjulstrom, 87, passed away, July 18, 2020, at her home of nearly 62 years at the family farm in Woodland, with her son, Craig Hjulstrom, at her side.  Craig had cared for her at home for the past several months as she battled pancreatic cancer. Elinor was born at her grandparents’ home in Poland, Maine, on Feb. 3, 1933, the daughter of David and Margaret (Edwards) Bickford.  She graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn, in 1951, and Farmington Teachers College in 1955.  Elinor taught in elementary schools in South Berwick, Auburn, and then for many years at Woodland Consolidated School in Woodland. Elinor married Marlo Hjulstrom in 1958, and became a farm wife, helping on the family potato farm.  She loved to travel but farm life made that difficult.  One of the highlights of her life was a trip to Sweden to visit Marlo’s relatives with special family members Dennis and Gloria Clark and Shirley Forsman.  She wasn’t Swedish, but adopted her husband’s Swedish heritage which became a special interest, particularly in later years. Elinor attended the First Baptist Church of New Sweden.  In retirement, she became very active in the New Sweden Historical Society. She was predeceased by her husband, and her siblings, twin sister Evelyn Poulin, Barbara Dudley, and Andrew Bickford. Elinor is survived by her two children, Darlene Doherty and husband, James, of Lubec, and Craig Hjulstrom of Woodland, grandchildren Erik and Seth Doherty, sister-in-law Shirley Forsman, cousin Gloria Clark, and several nieces and nephews. Special thanks go to Dr. Dumont for her dedicated and compassionate care, and also to Dr. Espinosa and to the staff of Northern Light Home Care & Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Sweden Historical Society,  PO Box 33, New Sweden, ME  04762 or First Baptist Church, 17 Westmanland Road, New Sweden, ME 04762. A graveside service will be held August 6, 2020 at 1 pm at the New Sweden Cemetery.