SOUTH PORTLAND — Roberta Louise Maietta, 78, of South Portland, died Aug. 19 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, with her family by her side.

She was born April 21, 1936, in Portland, the oldest child of Robert L. and Ruth Cookson Tinsman and sister to six brothers. She was educated in local schools and was a 1954 graduate of South Portland High School.

She married Louis B. Maietta Sr. on Nov. 13, 1954, at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Portland. The couple raised a family of eight boys, with Roberta a stay-at-home mom and Louis working sometimes three jobs to provide for the family.

In 1968, the couple founded Maietta Construction Inc., in which Roberta served as vice president and treasurer. She wrote invoices by hand as the business started out with a half-dozen employees. She continued hand-writing bills until well into the 1980s, when the company had expanded to 50 employees. By the early ’90s, the crew had grown to nearly 150 employees.

Maietta enjoyed spending summers at the family camp on Thomas Pond in Raymond, and wintering at their vacation home in Kissimmee, Florida, where relatives and friends would often visit. Las Vegas was another favorite destination. There, she and her husband came to know Mickey Rosenberg, of Caesar’s Palace, and enjoyed VIP events with stars such as Dean Martin, Drew Carey and Celine Dion.

At home, Maietta enjoyed spending time with her family, especially around large Sunday dinners, which her grandchildren helped her prepare. She also loved her three Yorkshire dogs.

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She was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.

Maietta was predeceased by her parents; a brother, Dennis; a son, Gary; and her husband, Louis, who died Jan. 25.

She is survived by sons Mike Sr. and wife, Cathie, Louie Jr. and wife, Jane, Vinny and wife, Charlene, Tommy and wife, Sara, Jimmy and wife, Sherrie, Robbie and wife, Tina, and Neil and wife, Kathy; grandchildren, Mike Jr. and wife, Dawn, Maria, Angie and husband, Mike Sanphy, Sandi and husband, Matt Marks, Jenna and husband, Dave Tremberth, Justin, Adam and Gary, Jamie, Megan, Becky and Emily, Ashley and Jessica, Danny and Neil; great-grandchildren, Jaelynne, Natasha, Morgan, Alyssa, Hannah, Dominic, Dylan, Alex, Abby, Aidan, Mila, Gianna, Maliyah, Anthony and Callie; daughter-in-law Pam Byram and her husband, Joey; a very special sister-in-law, Mary Dulac and her husband, Richard; brothers, Doug, Greg, Richard, Thomas and Lawrence; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like thank the men and women of the South Portland Fire Department; Cindy, Ann and Marie at Hospice of Southern Maine; and Jackie, Larry and the entire staff of Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.

Maietta’s sons would like to especially thank their wives, children, and grandchildren for the around-the-clock care they also provided.

Visiting hours were held Aug. 24 at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, with a Mass of Christian burial celebrated Aug. 25 at Holy Cross Church. Interment followed in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Maietta’s memory may be made to South Portland EMS, 684 Broadway, South Portland, ME 04106, or to Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 U.S. Route 1, Suite 1, Scarborough, ME 04074.

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