BREWER and CLEARWATER Fla. - Alice Rae (Blackman) Matson, 82, died Tuesday, May 14, 2013, at a Bangor hospital. She was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Bangor, the daughter of Albert and Freda (Wade) Blackman.

Alice grew up in Brewer and was a 1948 graduate of Brewer High School. She was a stay at home mother who spent her life raising six wonderful children. Alice spent time at the family camp on Beech Hill and wintering in Florida. She will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, nana and great-nana.

In addition to her parents Alice was predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Edward Matson Sr.; daughter, Jo-Lynn Gunning; and brother, James Blackman; She is survived by her children, Judy Swan and husband, Donald, of Dexter, Edward Matson Jr., of Brewer, Harold Matson of Brewer, Terry Jacobs of Fort Myers, Fla., and Gayle Gilley and husband, James, of Ellsworth; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Keith Gunning and wife, Cathy, of Turner; sisters, Elaine Higgins and Barbara Davis; brother, Bob Blackman; and special sister-in-law, Skeet Thurlow.

Relatives and friends are invited to call 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 17, at Brewer Chapel of Brookings-Smith, 55 South Main St., Brewer. A graveside service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bryant Road, Dexter. Those wishing to remember Alice in a special way may make gifts in her memory to Ronald McDonald House of Bangor Inc., 654 State St., Bangor, ME 04401 or to Jackson Laboratory to support Diabetes research, care of Development Office, Jackson Laboratory, P.O. Box 254, Bar Harbor, ME 04609-0254 or online at genetichealth.jax.org/support-the-lab. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.