VINALHAVEN — Marie Rubye (Farrell) Dempster, 94, passed away Wednesday, October 18, 2023 on the island of Vinalhaven. Born April 29, 1929, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the daughter of Francis and Rubye (Hayes) Farrell, she was the oldest of five children.

Marie lived most of her life in Lincoln, Rhode Island, where she and her former husband, Thomas H. Dempster, raised their family.

While raising her family, Marie was a volunteer with Easter Seals, was a Girl Scout troop leader, was active in the PTA and St. Jude’s Parish. Upon her retirement from MONY in 1989, she moved to Vinalhaven and quickly became involved in the island community with organizations such as the Garden Club, Ladies Home Extension, the Wind, Vinalhaven Community Outreach, Friends of the Library, the ARC Quilt group, the knitting group and led the readings for the Catholic services at the Union Church.

Marie spent her final years at the Ivan Calderwood Homestead, Vinalhaven Eldercare, and loved each day spent there. She loved her care givers and enjoyed the daily happy hour!

Marie was a talented seamstress and honed her skill by sewing most of her own clothes. She sewed all of her five daughter’s wedding dresses. After moving to the island, she taught herself to quilt and became known for the beautiful quilts that she either gave as gifts or donated to be raffled off for different organizations in town.

Marie is predeceased by her brothers, Frank and David; her parents; and her former husband Thomas H. Dempster.

She is survived by her two sisters and their husbands, Ann and Gil Sandberg, Kathleen and Andrew Czarnecki; her six children, Martha Emma (Steven) of Providence, Rhode Island, Susan Dempster (Jerry Doughty) of Vinalhaven, Peter Dempster of Webster, Massachusetts, Kathleen Clements (Michael) of Exeter, Rhode Island, Elizabeth Dempster (David Jeffrey) of Lincoln, Rhode Island, and Rebecca Tremblay (Alain) of Simsbury, Connecticut.

She was the beloved grandmother of 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A funeral mass will be held Monday, November 16, 2023, at 10 a.m., at St Aiden-St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Cumberland, Rhode Island, with interment following at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, Marie asked that donations be made to Vinalhaven Eldercare Services, PO Boxes 624, Vinalhaven ME 04863.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.

To share a memory or condolence with Marie’s family, please visit their Book of Memoires at www.bchfh.com.