Mollie-Lue Traggis, 84

Apr 23, 2018

Mollie-Lue Traggis, 84, of Indian Mound Beach, died April 19 at Tufts Medical Center in Boston after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late Demetrius G. Traggis, M.D.

Born in Brockton, she was the daughter of the late Harvey R. and Olive B. (Fosdick) Iris. A previous resident of Miami, Florida, Mrs. Traggis moved to Pembroke in 1967 before moving to Hampden, Maine in 1976. A longtime summer resident of Indian Mound Beach in Wareham, she moved there year-round in 1992.

Mrs. Traggis received her R.N. from Jackson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Miami, Florida, then her MSN from Boston University. She returned to Miami as a pediatric nursing instructor at Jackson Memorial Hospital and retired from nursing in 1966 to raise her three children and pursue a lifelong love of horticulture.

Having a love of flowers, plants, and gardening, Mrs. Traggis pursued the art of horticulture in all its forms, studying many schools of Japanese and American floral design, landscape design and the cultivation of plants specializing in hostas, daylilies, and herbs. She began her career in garden clubs in 1970 serving as president of the Hanover Garden Club and went on to serve on the boards of four garden clubs including the state board in Maine.

Those who knew and loved her considered her gentle and modest, a friend, mentor, leader, master flower show judge, supporter, innovator, designer, and role model. Throughout the years she has served as a master flower show judge for both Mass and Maine Judges Councils, Massachusetts Landscape Design Council, and specialty horticulture judge for the Hosta, Herb, and Hemerocallis societies. Mollie kept busy as an active member in many societies and clubs including the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, National Garden Clubs, Inc., the Southeast Design and Horticulture Study Group, Creative Flower Arrangers of America, World Association of Flower Arrangers, Ikebana International, Ikenobo and Sogetsu Ikebana Societies and the Wareham Garden Club for over three decades. In addition to her horticultural pursuits, Mollie also served on fundraising guilds for Tobey Hospital and the Eastern Maine Medical Center.

She is survived by her children, Mary-Jane Traggis of Rochester, New Hampshire, Hannah Traggis of Hubbardston, and Thomas Rowe Traggis of Wareham; her sister, Sylvia Diane Perry of Auburn, Maine; her brother, Jonathan Iris of North Carolina; and her granddaughter, Samantha Marie Traggis of Marion. She was predeceased by her siblings, the late Harvey R. Iris, III and the late Judith Lee Gilbert.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit on Thursday, April 26, at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Highway (Rt. 28), Wareham from 5 to 8 p.m. Visiting hours will also be held on Friday,

April 27 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on the Canal, 165 Main St., Buzzards Bay from 9 to 11 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. Inurnment will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Treasurer, Wareham Garden Club, P.O. Box 3276, Wareham, MA 02571 (memo: IMO Mollie Traggis - Scholarship Fund) or EMMC Foundation, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402 (memo: Mollie Traggis) For directions and online guestbook visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com.