Mary E. Hunter, obituary

Mon, 07/15/2019 - 5:00pm

ROCKLAND — Mary E. Hunter, 87, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at her home in Rockland leaving her family that she loved very much.

Born to Lillian Gould and Russell Whitney on July 12, 1931 in Bangor she was educated in local schools and eventually earned her General Education Diploma (GED) which she was very proud of.

On October 22, 1948 she married Richard E. Hunter in Bangor and they settled down together in St. George where they lived for 30 years raising their family. Mary worked as a housewife until her children finished school.

As a seamstress, Mary loved to sew and worked locally at Senter Cranes as a seamstress. She also worked as a bookkeeper for the Roakes & Harvey Taxi Company. Eventually finding their way to Cassville, Missouri it was there that Mary loved to go boating and volunteering with the “Pink Ladies.’

It was her love for volunteering and spirit of giving back that lead her to also join the KnitWits, a knitting club that makes items for those in the hospital. Locally she was very active with the Area Interfaith Outreach (AIO) food pantry, Penquis, and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Her children state that she was very active in the churches she attended over the years. A staunch Democrat, Mary volunteered with the Democratic National Committee during the last Presidential election and worked fiercely to get Hillary Clinton elected.

Her family states that they will always remember her as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who was very sociable, an excellent cook, and could be a “spitfire” at times.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, Lillian and Russell; her husband\, Richard; three brothers, Everette,
Charlie, and Freemont Whitney; and two sisters, Charlotte Clement, and Frances Dauphnee.

She is survived by her two daughters, Kathy Wallace and her husband Essie of Rockland, and Marci Ward of Grant’s Pass, Oregon; four grandchildren; David Hillgrove, Sean Hillgrove, Jamie Hillgrove, and Cristy Winchenbach; six great grandchildren, Alexandria Aiken, Stephen Killeran, Kristopher Hillgrove, Natalie Hillgrove, Olivia Hillgrove, and Nathan Winchenbach; and five great great grandchildren, Dawson Hillgrove, Colten Aiken, Finn Aiken, Beau Aiken, and Aria Aiken.

A service of love and remembrance will be announced on a later date.

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

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