Yvonne "Cookie" Francis-Ferland Obituary (1959 - 2018)

Indian Island - Yvonne 'Cookie' Francis-Ferland, 59, died peacefully in her sleep, after a long battle with cancer, on Sunday, May 20, 2018. She was the loving spouse of Jacques Ferland and the daughter of Bernice Socoby and Harry Anthony Francis, Jr. Yvonne graduated from Old Town High School and earned an associate degree in paralegal studies from Bangor Community College. With her numerous years of dedicated service to the Penobscot Nation's Department of Natural Resources, Yvonne was the tribe's primary contact person and source of information for Penobscot hunters, fishers, and gatherers. As President of the Penobscot Indian Nation Enterprises, a holding company under a Section 17 Federal Corporate Charter, she selflessly endeavored to take her people on the path of economic self-determination. A tribal council member for over a decade, she had to abandon her dream of becoming the first woman to lead the Penobscot Nation because of her failing health. A person of unwavering principles, of remarkable strength of character, and exemplary generosity, she will be missed by a large circle of relatives, friends, colleagues, and business associates. Cookie will be dearly missed by her husband, Jacques Ferland, her mother, Bernice Greeley, her children, Summer Francis, Michael Francis, and Randy Hallett, her step-children, Hugo Ferland, Justine Joseph, and Simon Ferland, her grandchildren, Marcus King, Hunter Francis, Carter Francis, Kami Francis, Adrianne Ferland, Liam Ferland, and Eli Michael Ferland, her siblings, Michael Socoby, Victoria Spencer, Darlene Francis Page, Charlie Francis, and Susan Greeley Walsh, and by numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. She was predeceased by her father, Harry Anthony Francis, Jr., her step-father, Paul Greeley, and her best friend, Barbara Massey. A celebration of her life gathering will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, 2018, at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 25, 2018, at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Indian Island.