Norma (Ruth Gould) Patterson Binan, 79, of Hampden, wife of the late Edward Leo Binan, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2017, surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of Henry Norman and Ruth (Pipes Mooers) Gould of Hampden. Norma was last seen headed down the Kennebec Road with a sewing machine under one arm, a piano under the other, while balancing a pile of books upon her head. Her vast library was a treasured possession, with a wealth of knowledge gained and shared from being a voracious reader of literature, history, poetry - and oh she could talk! Music was an equal true love; she filled her home with music and instilled that love in her children. The piano and organ were centerpieces of her home and a radio was always playing - classical only, of course. Only in her later years did she finally admit that the music her children liked was also worth consideration. She also played the accordion, which she bought at 16 years old. Her proudest moment in music was listening to her daughter Lynn play with the Bangor Symphony; she was a season ticket holder for over 20 years! And you cannot think of Norma without thinking of the word sewing. She started out simply making her and her children%u2019s clothing and grew that passion into a thriving business, The Nifty Needle. She hemmed hundreds of pair of pants, created beautifully tailored garments, and made countless brides feel like queens on their wedding days. As a teacher, she shared her love of music and sewing with many. A dedicated genealogist, she spent countless hours tirelessly researching her family history. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her beloved grandmother Hallie Mabel Jones, three infant sisters Lora, Lorraine and Phyllis; three loving brothers Reginald Gordon Gould of Scarborough; Charles Stanley Gould of Hampden; George Norman Gould of Dover-Foxcroft. She is survived by three amazing sisters, Leah Mabel Foster of Newburgh; Barbara Ann Dolliver of Rome; and Marie Estelle Dow of Newport. Widowed at 36, she raised five children with grace, courage, and strength, traits she instilled in each of them: Lynn (Patterson) Flagg, her partner Aaron Nason and her children Sarah and Michael Flagg; Carol (Patterson) Boynton, her husband Mark Boynton and their children Emily, Sam, Mary and Maggie; James (Ande) Binan; William (Bill) Binan, his wife Cybil and their daughter Amie; and Katheryn (Binan) Smith, her husband Tracey Smith and their children Lillian and Andrea. In addition to the Nifty Needle, she was a founding member of the Blue Ox Co-op and had worked at Rambo%u2019s Store, Schacht%u2019s Hardware, Joanne Fabrics, and the Edythe Dyer Library where she was a loved employee and trusted book critic. She enjoyed being a Toastmistress, competitive bridge player, madrigal choral singer, church organist, garden club member, college student, a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Hampden Historical Society, American Sewing Guild, and teacher of piano, sewing, knitting, or what have you! The family would especially like to thank the wonderful nurses and doctors of St. Joseph Hospital. Their care and compassion was beyond measure. The family would also like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to Dr. John Vanadia and Dr. Claudia Picone for their years of guidance, support, and friendship which were an immense comfort to both her and her family.