CAMDEN — Olwen W. “Ollie” Robertswas born in Utica, N.Y., on Jan. 8, 1917. She graduated from Mt. Holyoke College in 1938, and then attended the Yale University School of Nursing for two years. While in New Haven she met and married Grover Wickenden, a graduate student at the Yale Divinity School.

While living in Scranton, Pa., during the mid-1950s, Ollie returned to nursing school and obtained her registered nurse degree from the Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing. Immediately upon graduating, she assumed a position as the assistant director of nursing in the hospital where she had trained.

Following a 1956 move to Ada, Ohio, Ollie became the director of nurses at Lima Memorial Hospital. She and Grover divorced in 1958. She then moved to Whittier, Calif., to become the director of nurses at a new hospital, Presbyterian Intercommunity. Until she was in her mid-90s she continued to pursue nursing education and she proudly retained her nursing license.

In 1965, she married retired California businessman Elliott "Curly" Roberts. Thereby she gained another daughter, Paula, and a son, Sandy. She and Curly lived through the rest of the 20th century in Carpinteria, just south of Santa Barbara. As Curly became less independent, she cared for him in their home, with magnificent hospice assistance, until Curly died in 2000. Through that experience Ollie gained great respect and appreciation for the hospice organization. She served on its board when she moved to Camden, the home of her daughter, Joy Brown, and her sons, Roger and John Wickenden, after her husband's death.

In Camden, Ollie regularly volunteered twice weekly at Pen Bay Medical Center, and generously contributed to and supported many local organizations, charities and individuals in need. She loved frequent family gatherings and was a very gracious hostess. As her independence became more challenging, she moved to an apartment at Quarry Hill, and during the last several years she resided in its assisted living unit. Ollie had hoped to live to be 100, but expressed, daily, her gratitude for a long, happy and healthy life.

She was predeceased by her older sister, Anna Williams of Lakeland, Fla.; and by her two younger brothers, Dr. Roger Williams of Bainbridge, N.Y., and John Williams of Whitesboro, N.Y.

Ollie is survived by her children, including her son, John W. Wickenden and his husband, Michael Clarke, of Oro Valley, Ariz., her daughter, Joy Ann Brown and her husband, Peter, of Oro Valley, Ariz., her son, Roger W. Wickenden and his wife, Wendy, of Camden, her daughter, Paula Cook and her husband, Jim, of Norfolk, Va., and her son, Elliott "Sandy" Roberts Jr. and his wife, Laurie, of Newport, N.C. She was very proud of her nine grandchildren, James Wickenden and his wife, Jennifer, of Camden, Stephen Wickenden and his wife, Lisa, of Belfast, Jeffrey Zeiler and his wife, Beth, of Minneapolis, Minn., Kristine Scher and her husband, Jason, of Tucson, Ariz., Susan Elliott and her husband, Clint, of Tucson, Ariz., Jon Wickenden and his wife, Kim, of Rockport, Brian Wickenden and his wife, Moon, of Camden, Sarah Wickenden and her husband, Chris Lawton, of Rockport, and Thomas Cook and his partner, Hanna, of Chicago, Ill.; and 18 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. at First Congregational Church UCC, 55 Elm St. in Camden, with the Rev. Dr. Deb Jenks officiating.

Ollie's family suggests that memorial gifts be given to one of Ollie's favorite community service programs, Sussman Hospice House, c/o Pen Bay Healthcare, 6 Glen Cove Drive, Rockport, ME 04856; Kno-Wal-Lin Hospice Program, 170 Pleasant Street, Rockland, ME 04841; Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers, P.O. Box 122, Rockport, ME 04856; or to the Shields Mission Project, First Congregational Church, 55 Elm Street, Camden, ME 04843.

Arrangements are with Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service.