GARDINER — Patricia Bourgoin, Gardiner’s first and only female mayor, died Wednesday at her Gardiner home. Bourgoin, who lived on Alexander Drive, was 50.

Bourgoin was born in Augusta and earned a business degree from the University of Maine at Augusta. She served one two-year term as Gardiner mayor, holding the office in 1991 and 1992.

Bourgoin was also the first female president of the Gardiner Rotary Club. Her Rotary term overlapped with her term as mayor.

She chose not to run for reelection, opting instead to focus on serving as a foster parent to teenage girls. She also ran a word-processing and consulting business.

“She’s going to be long-remembered as Gardiner’s first female mayor,” said former Gardiner mayor Brian Rines, who succeeded Bourgoin in office. “She was also a hard-driving financial businessperson who came on at a time when Gardiner was on the brink of bankruptcy.

“The city was literally having trouble making payroll,” Rines said. “She came in and put the city on an even keel.”

Bourgoin is also remembered for pursuing multiple economic development initiatives in Gardiner during her term.