PORT CLYDE — Sally (Lothrop) Murdock MacVane passed away after a period of declining health on April 7, 2023 at her home in Port Clyde with her beloved husband Bruce by her side.

Sally was born in Boston on January 6, 1935 to Gilbert (Gil) and Ruth (Sawtelle) Lothrop and grew up in Reading , Massachusetts. She graduated from Reading Memorial High School and completed her freshman year at Westbrook Junior College in Westbrook Maine. She married her high school sweetheart George ( Buddy) Murdock on February 6, 1954. Together they had 4 children, Kim, Katy, John, and Daniel.

Sally was a wonderful wife and mother who said her children were her greatest accomplishment but she also had energy to spare. She was an accomplished writer and watercolorist. In addition to being a talented actress, she was gifted with an extraordinary singing voice, and was a valuable member of several local theater groups while living in Reading. Later she turned to directing which she said gave her even greater satisfaction. As her children grew she looked for additional arenas in which to expand her wings. She began selling advertising for local newspapers, ultimately joining The Reading Chronicle as the advertising manager. Subsequently she opened a bookstore called The Book Nook with her dear friend Theresa Bond in downtown Reading.

With their children grown and 3 out of 4 living on Monhegan Island in Maine, the family summer home, Sally and Buddy decided a dramatic change of lifestyle was in order. They purchased the Monhegan Store in 1979 and moved lock, stock and barrel to the island to live full time. As the only grocery store on the island it was a busy place in the summer. Sally was also a talented cook, and added deli features, prepared foods, and catering to the business, in addition to substantially improving the selections available in the produce department.

Sally continued to own and run the store with partners Bob and Mary Burton for several years when she and Buddy divorced after 30 years of marriage. It was during this time that she met her husband and the love of her life Captain Bruce Macvane, whom she married on June 18, 1988, in the family’s Monhegan home. When Sally sold the Monhegan Store to her partners and moved off the island, she quickly landed on her feet. She completed her education by graduating summa cum laude from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of English degree. She was soon named the editor of the Camden Herald. Once on the mainland, Sally also resumed her theatrical career, while refocusing it from performing to directing.

Tiring of the long commute down the St. George peninsula to Camden and back, Sally left the newspaper and opened Gallery by the Sea in Port Clyde. There she represented the works of many well known artists, including Leo Brooks, Emily Muir, Sylvia Murdock, and Bradley Hendershot, Wilder Oaks. Kathleen Fox and Chuck Paine. Sally closed the gallery to spend her retirement at her home in Port Clyde but she never stopped writing and published her book of short stories, The Red Boat, in 2020.

We will forever miss her wonderful smile and loving support but cherish the memories and time we had with her.

Sally was predeceased by her parents, Gil and Ruth Lothrop; and her grandson Ben Murdock.

She is survived by her husband Bruce; her sister, Iris Miller; her daughters Kim Murdock and her husband Josh Mostel, Katy Boegel; her sons John Murdock and his wife Winnie and Daniel Murdock and his wife Sylvia. She is also survived by two step children whom she loved and regarded as her own, Melinda MacVane and her husband Dave Lane and Bonnie Jean MacVane.

Sally is also survived by her grandchildren, Kristina Mitchell, Kyle Murdock, Wolfgang Boegel, Nathan Boegel, Amelia Murdock , Devon MacVane, Javahn Smith, Maire Johnson, Christian Farr and great grandchildren Ava Mitchell, Isla Mitchell Finnegan Mitchell and Ariel Murdock.

In addition Sally leaves behind her cousins , nieces and their families as well as many dear friends , including lifelong friends Helen Morrison and Theresa Bond.

The family wishes to thank the Sussman House Hospice at Home nurses and caregivers for allowing Sally to pass as she wished, in her own home filled with a lifetime of beautiful things, surrounded by her family.

A memorial service will be planned for early July in Port Clyde, Maine.

The family worked with Burpee Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home.