Claudette R. Boggs. Jan MacQuinn Gee. Roberta Wallace Longsworth. Ann Mudge Backer. Mary Ruth Murphy. Richard S. Smith. Alfred “Neil” McCombs.
Aug 30, 2026
“People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island lost in the previous 1-2 weeks.
We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely as possible and not behind paywalls or at a cost of $500 for people mourning. We’re free.
If you have an obituary for a loved one or friend that you can’t afford to place in other spaces, please let us know, and we’ll share it here for you. We will also share obituaries that have been in other places, too. Just let us know.
By request we’ve started sharing obituaries from throughout Hancock County. This is a bit of a bigger lift for us, but we’ll try to keep doing it if it’s something that you all want. We all are so connected here.
Claudette R. Boggs
August 24th, 2026
Claudette returned to the side of the love of her life Capt. Walter Hall, with her family and friends at her side guiding her on her final journey to be with him. She lived life as a military wife, a Gold Star Family wife raising her sons Sean and Kevin, spreading nothing but joy to everyone that ever met her. She was affectionately known to many as the “Peanut Butter Ball Lady” well noted for the addictive peanut butter and chocolate delight.
Throughout her life there where many people who brought her great joy: the second love of her life Paul Fowles, her grandchildren Angela and her husband Merlin, Patrick and his girlfriend Keely, and Mitchell, her great grand children Astro and Sunny.
Family was everything to Claudette. She stayed in touch with all of them through the years and good times and bad; she always had that addictive smile on her face. She is in the hearts and memories of Shane and Todd, Todd’s wife Paige and their children, her sister-in-law Rollie, her brother in-law Peter and his wife Sally who will miss the banter greatly, and especially daughter-in-law Sherri who had a special place in her heart. The number of people Claudette touched with a smile or occasional anecdote is just too long to list.
The family is especially thankful for the wonderful care, respect, and love shown to her during her last moments from the ICU and Med-Surg staff at MDI Hospital, a gift to her and the family in the final transition.
Claudette, Mom, Grammie, Memere, you will missed by all, remembered by many, but you are with Walter, the love of your life in the field of dreams.
Jan MacQuinn Gee
Ellsworth
Jan MacQuinn Gee, 61, died unexpectedly at home on August 19, 2026. She was born in Bar Harbor, Maine on August 23, 1964 to Douglas A. and Lucille E. (Pica) MacQuinn. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Social Work and worked as a clinical social worker.
Jan was a warm and caring person who deeply loved her family and friends. She was a champion for the underdog and had a natural ability to make friends wherever she went. She had a special love for animals, adopting many strays throughout her lifetime. Jan had a sensitive spirit and faced her share of challenges with grace and resilience along the way. Through it all, her compassion, loyalty, and generous heart touched the lives of those who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her husband John Gee; her three children, Samantha Hudack, Douglas Stokely (Maleeka), and Callie Stokely; her grandchildren, Samaria, Amari, and Evelyn; her sisters Lisa Tweedie (James) and Karen Shields (Dwayne); as well as her nieces, nephew, aunt, uncles and cousins.
Graveside services will be held at 2pm, Friday, August 28, 2026 at Hillside Cemetery, 869 Bar Harbor Rd., Bar Harbor. The family asks that any memorial donations be made to the NextStep Domestic Violence Project, P.O. Box 1466, Ellsworth, ME 04605.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Roberta Wallace Longsworth
Bar Harbor
Roberta Wallace Longsworth, 91, died on Aug. 21, 2026, at Birch Bay Village in Bar Harbor, Maine. Born in Brooklyn. N.Y., she was the daughter of David and Mary (Rodger) Wallace who moved to the U.S. from Scotland. She graduated from Barnard College in 1956, and, while a student there, she met her future husband, Ralph Longsworth, whom she married in 1958.
She worked in personnel in New York City and Syracuse, N.Y., before their two children were born. In Syracuse she taught Sunday school and was active in the League of Women Voters. She and her family moved to Allentown, Pa., in 1969 where they lived for fifty years. They joined the First Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School and served as a deacon and an elder. She became active in the local League of Women Voters, did a study of housing needs for the economically disadvantaged, followed by a seat on the Board of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley. She served as President for several years, during which she helped assure the agencies’ future by promoting clearer objectives and greater accountability for the use of government funds.
She worked as Director of Volunteers at Sacred Heart Hospital, followed by Director of Lay Ministries at the Lutheran Church in Emmaus and helped organize a Society of Volunteers. The Allentown Human Relations Committee honored her in 1979 and in 2007 Muhlenberg College honored her for her work with the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding. She was recognized by other organizations for her participation and leadership, including the Scottish Society. The numerous cultural opportunities near Allentown enriched her life.
The family enjoyed camping trips around the country, especially to Acadia NP in Maine, and eventually built a cabin on Mount Desert Island. Summers were filled with hiking, canoeing, sailing, theater and lectures. Numerous trips were made to Scotland, most with her husband, some with their children, and some with friends.
Roberta is survived by her husband of 67 years, Ralph, their son, Gordon, and his wife, Danielle, and her daughter, Margaret, and her wife, Nina Boulard. Contributions in her memory can be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Allentown or the Somesville Union Meeting House. A memorial service and reception will be held at the Somesville Church at 1 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2026.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Ann Mudge Backer
The Plains, Virginia
Ann Mudge Backer died as she lived, gracefully at home with loved ones on August 15, 2026, at Smitten Farm in The Plains, Virginia. At the age of 93, she was a radiant example of intelligence and charm put into action. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 22, 1932, to Nancy Forde Allderdice and Leonard Seeley Mudge, Ann Mudge Backer had many colorful and influential chapters in her long life.
Her childhood was spent between Pittsburgh and Florida. She attended Bryn Mawr College, resided in Italy, and then settled in New York. In Manhattan, Ann Mudge appeared regularly in society pages, was photographed by Mark Shaw, and was part of the New York literary scene, dating Philip Roth in the 1960s. Ann Mudge was an ardent supporter of the anti-war movement, a civil rights activist, and went on to receive her degree from New York Law School. She became a notable public defender for Legal Aid in Manhattan. On September 21, 1973, Ann Mudge married Elliot Taikeff, a prominent New York-based defense attorney. Together, she and Elliot were key in the defense of Native American activists at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. They divorced in 1980.
In 1983, Ann Mudge married William M. Backer, the storied advertising executive, best known for creating the famous Coca-Cola commercial with the song, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.” Their marriage of 33 years was forged over their shared love of dogs, horses, and the iconic rolling countryside of Fauquier County, Virginia. They found a farm in The Plains, named it Smitten Farm, and it became a respected thoroughbred breeding and racing operation.
Together, with a committed community of conservationists, they were early and strong supporters of the Piedmont Environmental Council responsible for preserving and protecting the open countryside, forests and farmlands of the Virginia Piedmont. In the early 1990s, Ann and Bill Backer, with their neighbors, helped organize local and national resistance against the proposed “Disney’s America.” The $650 million-dollar theme park, five miles from Manassas National Battlefield of the Civil War, was defeated successfully in 1994. Realizing that Disney would not be the only challenge in the future, the Backers helped launch the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a regional organization that supports rural preservation, connective transit and urban revival. In 2024, Ann Mudge Backer received the Kitty P. Smith Award from Citizens for Fauquier County to “honor an outstanding conservationist who has contributed throughout her lifetime to preserving Fauquier’s rural landscape, historical resources, and agricultural economy.”
A committed liberal democrat, Ann Mudge Backer championed not only environmental issues and public and private land protection, but issues of social justice and civil liberties. These included Black Lives Matter, Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County, Native American rights, PBS and women’s reproductive health.
But Ann Backer’s “phoenix moment” came in the last chapter of her life after Bill Backer’s death in 2016. When many people close to Ann thought she might return to New York or retire to her property in Surry, Maine, Ann’s commitment to Smitten Farm was not only deepened but proved to be transformative. She reimagined Mr. Backer’s thoroughbred horse racing operation into a small, specialized brood mare establishment. Ann Backer won Virginia Breeder of the Year three times.
Ann Mudge Backer was a remarkable woman who continued to evolve with intelligence, curiosity, generosity, and grace. For those who loved and learned from her, may we remember through her example that we can become more powerful with age when we choose to embrace, engage and passionately commit ourselves to the things that challenge us.
Her sisters Betsy Mudge Wilson and Polly Seeley Mudge Welliver preceded her in death. She is survived by her brother L. Taylor Mudge of Camden, Maine, and by a niece and five nephews: Sarah Mudge, Nathan Wilson, Ethan Welliver, Webster Mudge, Matthew Mudge, Sam Mudge.
In lieu of flowers, people are encouraged to support the charities of their choice. A celebration of life will be held later in the fall.
Mary Ruth Murphy
Hancock
Mary gained her wings on July 27, after a brief bout with an unexpected illness. She was born on November 5, 1946, to Pauline M (Lunt) and Lawrence H. Davis.
Mary is survived by her husband of 42 years, Frank. They had a great life together. Survivors include her children, Deborah Murphy, Larry Traxler and partner Denise, and Megan Traxler and her partner Sonny; as well as her her grandchildren, Morgan Traxler, Kaitlin and husband David Contreras and their children Iris and Dahli, Kara and Kimberly Fullan, Mikayla Murphy, James Worcester and partner Amber and Sierra Traxler; and her brothers, Wayne Bergeron and Andrew Davis. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. She was predeceased by her parents and sister Wanda.
There will be a celebration of life at the Sullivan Recreation Center, 1176 US-1, Sullivan, Maine, from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 30. The family would like to send a special thank you to the nursing staff in the ICU at EMMC. You took excellent care of our mother.
Richard S. Smith
Orland
Richard “Dick” Stanton Smith, 92, of Orland, Maine, passed away on August 25, 2026.
Dick was born March 1, 1934, in Laconia, New Hampshire, the only child of Ralph Smith and Ruth Ann McLaughlin Smith. He was extremely close with his parents, who introduced him early to his lifelong hobbies of boating, fishing, gardening, cooking, canning, camping, and enjoying the wonders of nature. As a boy, he enjoyed participating in Cub Scouts, spending summers on Lake Winnipesaukee, and playing concert accordion in the state orchestra.
Dick graduated from Laconia High School and received a BS degree from Wesleyan University, where he deepened his love for science. He went on to complete MD and DMSc degrees at Columbia University, an internship at Bellevue Hospital, a residency at Columbia, a fellowship at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, and a research appointment at the National Institutes of Health. He joined Albany Medical College in 1968, where he spent 26 years as a corneal surgeon, professor, and chair of the Ophthalmology Department.
In 1969, Dick met Linda, an electron microscopist, who bullied him into hiring her. Over the next decade, they became best friends and soulmates and married in 1979. They created a home together on 80 hilltop acres with their children and a menagerie of dogs, cats, and horses. They enjoyed camping each summer on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and relocated there in 1994. Dick joined The Jackson Laboratory as a Research Scientist, where he worked until his eventual retirement. Dick supported Linda throughout her second career as a pastor, and they built a home in Bucksport in 2003 when she was called to a church there. They moved to Orland in 2016 when Linda retired.
Dick was insatiably curious and explored countless hobbies, from the entomology of butterflies to boating around MDI, baking bread, making wine, jelly, and homemade pasta. He loved gardening, classical music, reading science fiction novels at lightning speed, and building heirloom furniture. His dry wit and infectious laugh could light up a room.
He was an exceptional husband, father, grandfather, and friend—patient, supportive, and present. He often said that he and Linda shared “agape”—a Greek word for the highest form of selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love. Based on laughter and mutual respect, their partnership was a rare gift and a true blessing.
Dick’s memory is kept alive by Linda—his beloved wife of 47 years, four children (David, Susan, Jennifer, and Robert), six grandchildren (Serena, Nicholas, Jesse, Sophie, Noah, and Caspian), honorary children and grandchildren (Steven, Kate, Jacob, and Adam), and countless friends.
A private celebration of life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association, https://www.alz.org/maine, or the Bucksport Firefighters Association.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Alfred “Neil” McCombs
Penobscot
Neil McCombs, 69, passed away Aug. 9, 2026, with his wife, Kimmy, by his side. Born Sept. 8, 1956, in Rochester, NY, Neil was the son of Carol McCombs and the late Alfred McCombs.
In addition to his mother and wife, Neil is survived by son, Joal (Carrie); stepchildren, Thomas (Jessie) and Dana (Louise); beloved grandchildren, Chandler, Arianna, and Cohyn; brothers, Steve and John Paul (Anne); and sister, PattyAnn.
Neil dedicated his life to craftsmanship, a career that reflected his hardworking nature and incredible ability to create something lasting with his own hands. One of his proudest accomplishments was the beautiful home he and Kim shared that he crafted. More than just a house, it became a home filled with family, memories, and love, a lasting testament to the life Neil worked so hard to build.
Neil had a true passion for his Harley-Davidson motorcycles. He loved the freedom of riding the open road. Motorcycles weren’t simply a hobby, they were something he genuinely loved and a memorable part of who he was. This passion is shared with his son and grandsons. Neil was also an avid NASCAR fan, and race days were always something to look forward to, especially when his favorite drive, Chase Elliot, was behind the wheel.
More than anything, Neil will be remembered as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, and friend. The life he built, the family he loved, and the memories he leaves behind will continue to live on through everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 12 at 95 Wardwell Point Rd., Penobscot. May the memories, stories, laughter, and love Neil shared throughout his life bring comfort to all who knew and loved him. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lafayette Center, Brewer.
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