The lovely Adolfine Maria ”Dolly” (Mueller) Bowen passed away peacefully Sept. 22, 2015, at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockland, surrounded by family members, after achieving an adventurous 88 trips around the sun.

Dolly was born June 17, 1927, in Endersdorf, Czechoslovakia, the oldest of four children of Adolfine and Robert Mueller. She grew up in war-torn Czechoslovakia, and when her grandparents' farm was taken over by Russian soldiers, the family was relocated to Kassel, West Germany. It was there that she met the young American soldier, also known to her as, "my knight in shining armor," Robert Everett Bowen of Carmel. They eventually married Nov. 27, 1948, in Neustadt, West Germany, and traveled by ship to Maine in January 1949.

Bob and Dolly built their own home in Carmel and raised their five children there. A tragic accident in 1971 caused the death of her only son, Robert Howard Bowen, as well as her husband, Robert Everett Bowen. She was also predeceased by her three siblings, Werner Mueller, Walter Mueller and Roswitha (Mueller) Hess, all of Kassel, Germany.

Dolly was a well-trained seamstress from the European tradition and was employed at various times over the years by The Maine Fur Company, Lyford and Woodard Furriers, S.D. Crocker Furriers and World Traders Inc., all in the Bangor area. Dolly also took orders for sewing in her home as well as creating unique clothing for her family.

Dolly moved from Carmel and in with her oldest daughter, Rosemarie and her husband, Erich, in Norridgewock in 1999. Several years later, she moved into the Merry Gardens Assisted Living community in Camden and has lived there until her death. Dolly had many friends at Merry Gardens and participated in many activities while living in Camden; she truly loved being near the ocean for frequent visits to the harbor; she also enjoyed gardening, birdwatching, knitting baby hats for newborns and spending time with her family and friends. Her life-long and dear friend, Phyllis Hammond, shared many life moments of both tears and laughter with her throughout the years.

Dolly will be deeply missed by her four daughters and their families, Rosemarie Jane (Bowen) Muecke and her husband, Erich Muecke, Sheryl Leigh Bowen, Cynthia Mae (Bowen) Rogers and her husband, Glen Rogers, and Loreen Viva Bowen; her grandsons, Larry Bowen Bond, Robert Muecke and his wife, Tina, Daniel Muecke, Colby Rogers and Austin Rogers; as well as her granddaughters, Andrea Bond, Devyn Machen and Leia Machen. They will all miss their beloved "Nana." Her great-grandchildren, Sammy Muecke, Mariah Muecke and Eli Markley were all deeply loved by their dear "Nana."

Her legacy is one of strength, courage, hard work, self-sacrifice and love. She was an awe-inspiring woman; we will all miss her deeply.

Although Adolfine requested no funeral services, family and friends are invited to attend a graveside internment service at Highland Cemetery in Carmel on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m., followed by a gathering in the basement of the Carmel Congregational Church on the Plymouth Road in Carmel.

Arrangements are under the care of Direct Cremation of Maine.