ROCKLAND — Eileen Troester, 89, entered the presence of her Savior, the Lord Jesus, March 3, 2018 from her home.  Friends and relatives are invited to visit from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 2018 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.  A service to celebrate her life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 23, 2018 at the West Rockport Baptist Church, Park Street, Rockport. 

Marion Eileen Bell was born on January 21, 1929 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, the third of five children, of George (Les) and Ruth Bell.  Those left to honor Eileen’s memory include her youngest sister Ruth Steeves and her husband Lawrence; her children, Gary and his wife, Venila; Karen Wiersma and her husband, David; and Beth Troester.  Additionally she is survived by 11 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren (with two more on the way), and her nieces and nephews and their families.

As a teenager Eileen came to an understanding of the reality that she was a sinner in need of a Savior and placed her faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.  She married a traveling evangelist, Al Troester of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1949, she was 20. They were together just short of 53 years.

Eileen was the “Pastor’s wife” as Al pastored a church in Delaware, and later another in New Brunswick, Canada.  After Al became the Academic Dean and Bible teacher at the Glen Cove Bible School in Glen Cove, Maine, Eileen trained Bible School students to work in Good News Clubs, and also taught a club in her own home.  She was “house mother” to Bible School girls who lived upstairs in their home as a dormitory; co-taught Evangelical Teacher Training Association courses with Al; worked briefly at the Grants department store and as a teacher’s aide in the Rockland High School.  After Al left the school they traveled together for nearly twenty years in an itinerant ministry he called “Troester Bible Teaching Ministries” encouraging and strengthening Christians.  When Al had to end his teaching ministry due to encroaching Alzheimer’s disease Eileen cared for him until his death in 2002.  For a number of years she also took care of her daughter Beth’s “home office work” as she served as a missionary in Russia.  In 2001, Eileen finally made the decision to become a U.S. citizen.

When Eileen was no longer able to fully care for herself due to the onset of dementia her daughter, Beth, became her caregiver until her home-going.  The family will always be grateful for Beth’s loving care of her Mother.  We also wish to express appreciation for the hospice and palliative care personnel of Maine Health Care at Home that came to care for Mom as well as her nurse practitioner, Jennifer Dreher who often made house visits to check on her.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Truckers for Christ, P.O. Box 342, Hartland, ME 04943-0342; or Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Maine, 431 Campground Rd., Livermore Falls, ME 04254.