Alfred Kelley. Ronald Benson. Scotty Hopkins. Edgard Aronson. Mary Bragdon Allen. John “Jock” Morris Williams. Linda L. Bowden. Holly Lee Hitchcock. Timothy Bouchard. Wayne Bartlett, Sr. Rachel Snow.
Sep 13, 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.
Alfred Wayne Kelley
Tremont
Alfred Wayne Kelley, 74, died September 3, 2026, at home surrounded by his family. He was born April 19, 1952, in Bar Harbor the son of Alfred Hervey and Barbara Ann (Murphy) Kelley.
Alfred served with honor in the United States Coast Guard during the Vietnam War. When he returned home, he ran into his old girlfriend Betty Elaine Lawson in the post office. They immediately connected and from that point on they were inseparable. They married on September 30, 1971 and had two children, Michael and Megan.
He was a Cub Scout Leader in his early years. He volunteered for the Tremont Volunteer Fire Department and joined Tremont Lodge No. 77 A.F. & A.M. Alfred loved to play golf and joined the Causeway Club in Southwest Harbor for several years. He enjoyed carving wood and using a scroll saw to develop ducks and lobster boats into intricately carved items.
Alfred and Betty’s family in the early years included a lot of fishing and camping with their family. They enjoyed being together and with friends. In Millinocket they spent a lot of time on Nesowadnehunk Lake and at camping near his mother’s camp on Sebago Lake.
Alfred worked for over 30 years for Brad and Dorothy Reed at H.G. Reed, Inc., where he was a Master Electrician, Master Oil Burner Technician and plumber. After his health started to decline, he served as the service manager. The Reed’s were like family to him and he felt that he worked with a great crew.
Alfred is survived by his best friend and beloved wife of 55 years, Betty E. (Lawson) Kelley; a son Michael W. Kelley and wife Jennifer of Northeast Harbor; a daughter Megan Kelley of Tremont; brother David Kelley and wife Cookie Baldwin of Bass Harbor; 4 very special grandchildren, Morgan Kelley, Collin Robinson, Sophia and Penelope Norris; many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers James and Randy Kelley.
At Alfred’s request there will be no services.
Those who desire to make contributions in Alfred’s memory to the SPCA of Hancock County, 141 Bar Harbor Rd., Trenton, 04605.
Condolences may be made at www.jordanfernald.com.
Ronald George Benson, Ph.D.
Mount Desert Island
Ron Benson, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, teacher, mentor, engineer, builder, and lifelong learner, died at home in Maine following a brief illness with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was 83.
Ron was born in Iowa to George Christian and Martha Augusta Benson. An Iowa boy at heart, he developed interests that stayed with him throughout his life: music, machines, learning how things worked, and figuring out how to make them better.
Music was part of Ron. He played trumpet as a young man and was recruited to play taps at military funerals in Iowa as a teenager. He played the trumpet in his band, the Versatiles, and later sang in barbershop groups, the New Haven Community Chorus, and church choirs.
Ron’s greatest partnership began with a blind date. A friend introduced him to Judith “Judy” Porter Gilkes. They married in the middle of a blizzard and spent the next 58 years building an extraordinary life together. Twelve homes and moves across the country followed, along with two children, three grandsons, changing careers, adventures, challenges, laughter, and a marriage defined by love, loyalty, and an enduring commitment to one another.
Ron had a particularly special relationship with his mother-in-law, Ann Fullan Gilkes. They were thick as thieves and were known to slip away together for a simple adventure or two.
Ron was a doer. He earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, an M.A. in Management, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Management Systems, all from the University of Iowa. His career moved repeatedly between two worlds: industry and education, and along the way he formed lasting friendships, welcomed people easily, and enjoyed those who were kind and simply themselves. He began as an industrial engineer in Iowa before moving into academia at Oregon State University and the University of Toledo. He later returned to manufacturing, becoming Vice President of Manufacturing at Magnum Electric Corporation, helping build a startup into an organized 70-person company.
From 1979 to 1983, Ron worked for General Electric’s Aircraft Engine Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he helped transform the computer systems of a 1,200-person manufacturing plant from a handful of batch applications into an interconnected operation supporting everything from inventory and scheduling to shop-floor manufacturing. It was the kind of complex, systems-oriented work he loved. He also helped establish and later served as president of Albuquerque’s local chapter of the American Production and Inventory Control Society. Away from work, he embraced New Mexico life, skiing in the mountains and playing tennis.
In 1983, Ron joined Western Connecticut State University’s Ancell School of Business, where over the next 16 years he served as professor, Department Chair, MBA Coordinator, and ultimately Acting Dean. Long before technology-enabled education became commonplace, he explored how technology could help professors understand what students were learning in real time. In 1987, he and two WestConn colleagues received an IBM research grant—one of only three universities selected—to experiment with classroom technology and student feedback.
Ron never stopped learning, and he never stopped teaching. During the summers of 1994 and 1995, his curiosity took him to Yerevan, where he taught MBA students at the newly established American University of Armenia during the country’s first years of independence. He became deeply interested in the economic and industrial challenges facing Armenia and continued speaking and writing about the country after returning home. From 1999 to 2001, he served as Dean of the John and Judy Dunham School of Business and Professional Studies at Aurora University in Illinois, which later named him Dean Emeritus. In 2002, Ron returned once more to manufacturing as owner and CEO of Benson Precision in New Britain, Connecticut. In his “retirement,” Ron taught graduate students at the University of Maryland University College and joined the doctoral faculty at Capella University, where he mentored 16 doctoral students through their dissertations and served on the committees of 20 others.
Ron was enormously proud of his children and the lives they built. He was especially proud of the community his son, Will, built through his work and the way he made teaching and mentoring young people part of it. His daughter, Christina, remembers most the joy and fun they shared. Some of her happiest memories are of dancing with her dad. At her wedding, they danced and danced.
Ron was thoughtful and sometimes quiet, and fiercely independent. If something wasn’t quite right, his advice was to think about it, sleep on it, and trust that your brain would keep working on the problem overnight. He also loved a good prank. When the opportunity presented itself, he took it.
He could build and fix almost anything. Cars were a lifelong passion, and there were few mechanical problems he couldn’t figure out. He was an electrician, plumber, carpenter, gardener, and all-around handyman who even designed and built Japanese gardens—although painting was one job he would happily have done without. His love of cars found another home at Maine’s Seal Cove Auto Museum, where he volunteered repairing and maintaining antique cars.
Years spent around manufacturing machinery took a toll on Ron’s hearing, and as it declined, crowded rooms and large gatherings became increasingly difficult. He was at home in his immaculate workshop.
To his three grandsons—Jack Stanton, 17; Rory Benson, 16; and Ridley Stanton, 16—he was Pop Pop. They were everything to him. He delighted in their lives and interests, encouraged them, and showed up for them.
Ron is survived by his wife and partner of 58 years, Judith “Judy” Porter Benson; his son, William Henry Benson, his wife Traci Benson, and their son Rory Benson, along with Traci’s children Jacob and McKenna Henderson; his daughter, Christina Ann Benson, and her sons Jack and Ridley Stanton; and his sister, Audrey Bentz. Ron also treasured his nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family, including Scott Benson, Monica Benson, Sonia Perugini, Michael Bentz, Jolene Neal, George Bentz, Jennifer Klotz, Arthur Gilkes, John Gilkes, Laura Strassguetl, Richard Strassguetl, Christopher Liu, and Katie Fullan.
Ron’s final chapter was in Maine. When he became ill, that community surrounded Ron and Judy with extraordinary kindness. He was able to remain at home, supported by hospice, caregivers, friends, and neighbors, and cared for above all by Judy—the nurse he had married 58 years earlier and his partner through every chapter of their life together.
Across all those chapters, certain things remained constant. Ron was curious. He built things. He solved problems. He taught. He learned. And he loved his family. Ron spent a lifetime showing up for the people he loved. At the end of his life, the people he loved showed up for him.
The family is planning a memorial service in October 2026. Details will be shared when arrangements are finalized. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial gifts in Ron’s honor to the Mount Desert Nursing Association, Seal Cove Auto Museum, or Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Scotty Warren Hopkins
Otter Creek
Scotty Warren Hopkins, 60, of Otter Creek, passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 30, 2026. He was born June 5, 1966, in Bar Harbor, the son of Robert Warren Hopkins and Gwendolyn Althea (Smith) Hopkins.
Scott graduated from Mount Desert Island High School in 1985. A few years later, he began working for the town of Bar Harbor in the sewer and highway departments, where he worked for over three decades.
Scott worked tirelessly to help keep the town operational and safe, regularly waking up before dawn in the midst of snowstorms to plow the roads.
In 1990, Scott and his partner at the time, Amy Hennigan, welcomed their daughter, Shelby. Scott adored being a father to Shelby and watching her life unfold. When it came time to become a grandfather, he adored that, too. The way he would chuckle and how his eyes lit up when giving gifts (ones that were usually motorized) to his grandchildren could warm any room.
In 2009, Scott married his beloved wife, Holly Hopkins, and together they enjoyed bringing their two families together, taking trips to Hershey, Penn., and spending sunny afternoons by the pool.
During his decades-long career with the town, he worked with a crew that felt like family.
That work family included Jordan Pelletier, who frequently referred to Scott as his “work dad” and was there for Scott’s family on the tragic day that he passed.
Scott was honest as the day is long. His generosity was beyond words. Even if he had hardships of his own to deal with, he was always right there to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Whether it be a friend or a stranger, he was there.
That often meant coming to the rescue when anyone’s vehicle broke down, whether it was a convenient time or not.
A true collector, Scott saw purpose and potential in everything; the shiny and the not-so-shiny, especially if it had an engine. He could fix anything with a bobby pin and if he was confronted with a new challenge, he would research how to make something run again.
He could be seen cruising on his Harley Davidson, playing horseshoes with friends and just being a kind soul who was happy to chat and catch up with his loved ones.
Scott will be missed immeasurably by his friends and family, including his cherished Siberian husky, Lucy, who hopped in Scott’s big red truck to adventure with him anywhere and was even once named the town’s “Employee of the Week.”
Scott is survived by his wife, Holly, of Otter Creek; daughter Shelby Hopkins and her fiancé, Jesse Gilley, of Southwest Harbor; stepson Bryce Alley and his wife, Rebecca, of Ellsworth; stepdaughter Mary Alley and her partner, Patrick Harkins, of Bass Harbor; grandchildren James and Grace Gilley of Southwest Harbor, Blaine and Isabelle Alley of Ellsworth, and Mason and Misla Harkins of Bass Harbor. He is also survived by his sisters Brenda Peckham and her husband Clarence, of Casa Grande, Ariz., and Sherri Lawrence and her partner Chris, of Orland, seven nieces and nephews, and his “husband-in-law” Peter Alley and family, of Bar Harbor. Scott was predeceased by his parents and brother, Robert Allen Hopkins.
A celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mt. Desert, with a reception to follow at the Otter Creek Hall. Graveside services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Scott’s memory may be made to the Blaine Alley Scholarship Fund at Mount Desert Island High School.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Edgard David Aronson
Gouldsboro
Edgard David Aronson, 92, passed away at the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor on September 8, 2026. At his request, no service is planned. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Mary Bragdon Allen
Blue Hill
Our beloved wife and mother, Mary Bragdon Allen, passed away peacefully on Sept. 6, 2026, after a battle with dementia. Mary was born on Nov. 13, 1939, in Franklin, Maine, to Manley and Elizabeth Bragdon.
She graduated from George Stevens Academy in 1958, then went on to attend Maine Medical Center School of Nursing in Portland. In 1961, Mary married Ronald Allen; they settled in Blue Hill and together began an almost 65-year journey, creating countless memories and raising three children. Mary’s nursing career spanned 35 years, mainly at Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, where some of her time there was spent as an OR nurse and director of nursing. She retired in 1999, although she was always on call with family and friends on her medical expertise. Mary enjoyed reading, gardening, crossword puzzles, playing cards, spending time on Long Island, adventures with the Red Hats, her ‘94 GT Red Mustang, and traveling with her husband. Mary cherished her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They loved her treats of whoopie pies, no-bake cookies and blueberry muffins.
Mary is survived by her husband, Ronald; daughter, Wendy Ingraham of Brooklin; daughter, Margo (Bob) Ruddy of Westborough, Mass.; son, Eric (Tammi) of Brooklin; grandchildren Jesse Ingraham (Kayla), Shane Ruddy (Kristine), Luke Ruddy, Brett Ingraham, Kyle Ruddy (McKayla), Camryn Allen, Emmett Allen, and Wyatt Allen; and four grandchildren, Emilia, Elliott, Jaxon, and Harper. Mary is also survived by a very special niece, Tina Gray of Sedgwick. Mary was predeceased by her parents; sisters, Jackie Scot and Anne Black; brother, Manley Bragdon; sister-in-law Gerry Bragdon; nephew Dana Bragdon; and son-in-law Scott Ingraham.
There will be a celebration of Mary’s life on Oct. 4 at the Farmhouse Inn, Blue Hill, from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
John “Jock” Morris Williams
Mount Desert Island
John “Jock” Morris Williams passed away on Aug. 9, 2026, at the age of 87, after a life filled with love, family, and time spent on the sea. He was surrounded by the love of his three daughters, Elizabeth “Lili” Cooperrider, Barbara “Bobby” Williams, Whitney W. Granholm and his devoted caregivers.
There will be a celebration of life on Sept. 20, 2026, at 2 p.m., at his beloved boatyard, the John M. Williams Boat Company. Please join us as we gather to share stories, shoot the cannon, and celebrate his life.
Jock was born on Dec. 11, 1938, to Robert Dwight Williams and Elizabeth “Betty” Morris Williams. He grew up in Englewood, N.J., where his father owned and operated the Dwight S. Williams Company, a Manhattan hosiery manufacturer with offices in the Empire State Building. He spent many formative summers on Martha’s Vineyard at his family’s farm in West Tisbury, working at the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard. As he liked to say, from those early summers he “always knew it would be boats.”
He attended Storm King School, following in the footsteps of his older brother Robert, before continuing to Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood. He went on to Colby College, where he studied history, played football and ice hockey, and, most importantly, met the love of his life, Deborah “Debbie” Hind Lucas. He first saw Debbie on the steps of Colby on the very first day of freshman year. He would later tell us there was something about her. Her hair, her smile, and, in his words, “That was it.”
But it wasn’t always fair winds and following seas for a young Jock. As a sophomore, Colby strongly “suggested” that he take a hiatus to reevaluate his commitment to academics. What initially seemed like a setback became one of the great adventures of his life.
Jock traveled across the country by land and sea, skiing through the West before hitchhiking to the East to crew a Bermuda race aboard the wooden New York 32, Spooky, owned by Bill Zigler. That summer, he crossed the Atlantic aboard Sumner “Huey” Long’s yawl Ondine, his first Atlantic crossing. The voyage brought him to Sweden and his brother Robert, who was serving in the Army, and eventually to Paul Molich’s boatyard in Denmark, a connection that would influence the rest of his life. His love of sailing continued throughout his life, leading him to compete in seven Bermuda races, two transatlantic races, and one transpacific race.
After that extraordinary year of travel and adventure, Jock returned to Colby and graduated in 1962. Shortly after graduation, Jock and Debbie were married on Sept. 22, 1962, at the Somesville Union Meeting House. The only thing that could eclipse Jock’s passion for boats and the ocean was his love for Debbie. Jock and Debbie were a fearless team for 63 years. While Jock was often the captain, leading with his boatbuilding dreams, they were true equals and partners in every sense. Jock valued Debbie’s opinion above all others. He considered her the most intelligent person he knew, and her counsel was invaluable to him.
Later that year, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Jock joined the Navy’s Officer Candidate School. He went on to serve as a naval officer in Pearl Harbor, taught sailing at the Naval
Academy in Annapolis, and then went on to Europe to complete a boatbuilding apprenticeship in Denmark. He ultimately joined the Henry R. Hinckley Company in Southwest Harbor, running its new fiberglass shop. In the late 1960s, Jock and Debbie bought a small summer cottage in Manset, winterized it, and raised their three daughters there.
In 1973, encouraged by Norma Stanley, Jock partnered with her husband, boatbuilder Lyford Stanley, to build a fiberglass version of one of Lyford’s wooden lobster boat hulls. Jock, Norma and Debbie worked together in Lyford’s shop in Bass Harbor to create the mold. The business moved to the old Hall Quarry site on Somes Sound, once a working granite quarry that had supplied stone for the Library of Congress, Philadelphia’s U.S. Mint, and the JFK Memorial, and grew there into the John M. Williams Boat Company.
For more than 50 years, the yard built lobster boats, the Stanley line of pleasure and sportfishing boats, including the 36, 38, 39, 42, and 44, and later the Williams 28 Bass Boat. Jock was known for his hands-on involvement with owners and his insistence on building boats the right way, whatever the cost. He kept working into his late 80s, and his last boat, a Stanley 28, was completed not long before his death.
Jock always remained humble about the business he built from the ground up, not once, but twice, after fires leveled the boatyard. He leaves behind a legacy of craftsmanship, attention to detail, artistry, and, above all, putting the customer first. When you built a boat with Jock, you weren’t simply hiring a boatbuilder; you were becoming a part of it.
Later in life, Jock turned his talents toward his wife’s Hawaiian heritage. At his boatyard, he built the iako for the Hōkūleʻa and welcomed the traditional Hawaiian sailing canoe back to the yard for a pit stop during its Mālama Honua voyage around the globe.
Eventually, Jock and Debbie split their time between Maine and Lanikai, Hawaiʻi. They also sailed the East Coast and beyond aboard their boat, Hokulani, a 36-foot Stanley. Jock served on the boards of MDI Hospital and the Maine Seacoast Mission.
Jock loved to laugh. He loved his extra dry martini with a twist, he loved food, and he loved real people and sharing stories. He was a fighter, holding on fiercely until the very end, with a determination that was a testament to his strength of character. Strong-willed would be an understatement when it came to Jock. His resilience was unmatched and evident in everything he accomplished throughout his life. Above all, he always put his family first, and he did so until the very end. His last words were wishes for his three daughters to have peace and happiness after his passing.
Jock is survived by his three daughters, Elizabeth Williams Cooperrider, Barbara Leavitt Williams, and Whitney Williams Granholm; and 10 grandchildren, Samantha Elizabeth Cooperrider, John “Jock” Williams Cooperrider, Benjamin “Kyp” Kipling Cooperrider, Aksel Austin Cooperrider, Nainoa Lucas Cooperrider, Reider John Watson, Cole Bartlett
Watson, Daisy Carlo Granholm, Weston Nels Granholm, Kulani Lucas Granholm, as well as his brother, Robert D. Williams, and his sister, Sandra Coffin White.
Linda L. Bowden
Penobscot
Linda L. Bowden, 77, of Penobscot, Maine, passed away peacefully at home on September 9, 2026, with her husband and daughters by her side. Born April 12, 1949, in Castine to Harland Nevells and Marion (Swazey) Nevells, Linda grew up in Blue Hill and graduated from George Stevens Academy.
At 17, Linda married Winfield Bowden, beginning a marriage and partnership that would span 60 years. Together, they built a life in Penobscot and raised their family. Linda spent much of her early life raising and caring for her children. When they were older, she opened a daycare and spent many years caring for other children with the same warmth and nurturing spirit she gave her own family. She was deeply involved in her community, serving throughout the years as a Sunday school teacher, 4-H club leader, Girl Scout leader, and school volunteer. She was someone who showed up, giving her time, attention, and care wherever they were needed. Linda loved the outdoors including picnicking, camping, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, and enjoying nature. She equally loved quieter moments working on a puzzle, knitting, crocheting, or simply being at home surrounded by the people she loved. Above all, Linda loved her family.
She is survived by her husband, Winfield Bowden; daughters, Angela Hooper and her husband, Dale, and Holly Collins and her husband, Josh; grandchildren, Amanda, Ashley, Andrea, Dalton, Kyle, Wyatt, Sullivan, and Bayne; and three great-grandchildren, Blake, Malia, and Alaina. She is also survived by her sister, Donna Edgerly and her husband, Marvin; brother, David Nevells and his partner, Megan; and many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends. Linda was predeceased by her parents; and her two sons, Winfield Scott Bowden, whom she and Winfield lost at just three years old, and Eric Todd Bowden, who passed away last year at age 53. She carried the love and loss of her sons with her, and there is comfort in imagining them together again.
A memorial service celebrating Linda’s life will be held Friday, September 18, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Bowden family home, 283 New Rd., Penobscot, ME, led by her nephew, Pastor Travis Therrien. Linda will be laid to rest at Bayside Cemetery in Penobscot, alongside her sons.
Those wishing to honor Linda’s memory may donate to Northern Light Home Care & Hospice in gratitude for the compassionate care they provided to Linda and her family.
Linda’s life was one of family, care, service, and love. She leaves behind generations shaped by the simple but powerful way she cared for them, and she will be deeply missed. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Holly Lee Hitchcock
Ellsworth
Holly Lee Hitchcock, 69, died unexpectedly at home on Sept. 5, 2026. She was born Feb. 5, 1957, in Bar Harbor, the daughter of Betty Elaine Hitchcock and Frank Whitehouse Anderson.
Holly graduated from Ellsworth High School in her junior year in 1976. Following graduation she married Brian C. Harriman on Aug. 1, 1976; they remained married for 18 years.
Holly worked for Irving Oil Company and JT Rosborough for many years until she found her true passion working with children at the Moore Center where she remained until she retired.
Holly enjoyed cooking for everyone, drawing and photography.
She battled cancer for a very long time. She told people that she wasn’t going anywhere and that they were stuck with her, whether they liked it or not. She gained the nickname “Boomer,” short for boomerang, because whatever got thrown at her, she kept coming back.
Holly will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She was courageous and determined for the past eight years and has been a true inspiration. She is the true definition of courage and strength
We would like to thank the staff at the Lafayette Cancer Center and Davita Dialysis for their wonderful care over the last eight years. Also, to her surgeon, Dr. Paci, who gave Holly her quality of life back.
Holly is survived by her son Adam Ross Hitchcock; sister, Robin Clark and husband Wayne; nephew Anthony Harvey Brenton; cousins Mary Edna Robertson, Jane Marie Robertson-Townsend and husband Brian and children Ellie and Everett; aunt Linda Robertson; beloved pets Buddy and Rory. She was predeceased by her mother, father, uncle Robert Robertson and Mollie (cat).
There will be a celebration of life this December.
In lieu of flowers, Holly asks for donations to one of the following organizations: Beth C. Wright Cancer Center, Make-a-Wish Foundation, or St. Jude’s Children Hospital.
Condolences may be expressed at www.acadiacremation.com.
Timothy Peter Bouchard
Orland and Bangor
Timothy Peter Bouchard, 61, passed away on August 20, 2026. He was born on November 19, 1964, the son of Patrick and Nancy (French) Bouchard.
Tim grew up in Orland. He was a big fan of Star Wars and Scooby-Doo. Tim participated in the Special Olympics for many years. He was one of the first residents of MERT Enterprises located in Bangor and was cared for by them for 31 years. He enjoyed participating in MERT’s gatherings and his many trips to McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts and other outings faithfully provided by the dedicated staff of MERT. He loved it when they would help him to visit his sister, Kathy and her husband, Keith, for family barbecues, birthdays, and holidays.
Tim is survived by his brother-in-law, Keith Small; sister-in-law, Janet Bouchard, special cousin, Dot Kehr and husband Glenn; nephews, Jereme Ashmore, Adam Ashmore, Chris Bouchard, and Joe Bouchard; special aunts, Linda Leach and Sandra French; his extended family, Jeanette Tardif and Kate Tardif; and very special friends and caregivers, Mary Rush, Bet, Diana, and many other MERT staff. In addition to his parents, Timothy was predeceased by his sister, Kathy Small; and brother, Gerry Bouchard.
The family would like to extend their deep appreciation for the care and love Tim received in his final year and a half from the capable and dedicated staff at Birchwood Living Center. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tim’s memory may be made to Special Olympics Maine 525 Main St., Unit D, South Portland, ME 04106 or online at somaine.org.
A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. September 19 at Oak Grove Cemetery, 58 Narramissic Dr., Orland, and officiated by Pastor Peter Remick. A celebration of life will be held at Orland Methodist Church Hall, 24 Narramissic Dr., immediately following the graveside service. Arrangements are under the care of Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Bucksport. Condolences may be expressed at mitchelltweedie-young.com.
Wayne Thomas Bartlett, Sr.
Plymouth and Ellsworth
It is with tremendous heartbreak that we announce the passing of Wayne T. Bartlett, Sr. — Wayne, Dad, Bump/Bumpy, Uncle Wayne, and professional provocateur.
Wayne was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, brother, uncle and friend. He is predeceased in recent years by his sister, Carole Webber (Dec. 30, 2023). Wayne is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Wendy; children Heather (son-in-law Nick), Wayne Jr., and Shanie; grandchildren Owen, William, Aubrie, and Tristen; stepdaughter BobbieSue (son-in-law Thad); brother and sister-in-law Gary and Bonnie; beloved dog Boss; and many other relatives and friends who, despite having been subjected to Wayne’s opinions over the years, love him anyway.
Wayne was born in Garland, Maine, the youngest of four children of Philip and Rema (Watson) Bartlett. They lived most of his childhood in Amherst. He graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1967, and went to work with his brother at Agway in Detroit, Maine. In 1968, he was drafted in the Army and went to Vietnam, returning home in 1970. He resumed his work at Agway and completed his Army draft commitment while living in Detroit, then Newport. He moved to Plymouth, Maine, in 1974, where he built the first of four homes by his own hand. Wayne continued at Agway throughout his career. Wayne stayed in Plymouth for the rest of his life, apparently having decided he had found the one place where people would continue to put up with him.
Wayne devoted 20 years to the Army National Guard and held more side jobs throughout his life than most people could keep track of. He was a volunteer Plymouth Firefighter for several years in the late ‘70s. Wayne worked hard, and genuinely liked it. Why relax when there is something to build, fix, move, repair, or tell someone else how to do it?
One of his favorite vacation activities was raking blueberries. Some people go to beaches, Wayne went blueberry raking. And if you have ever known Wayne, you understand that this makes perfect sense.
To his close family, Wayne is an icon. He was a source of strength, stability, and a constant presence in our lives. He showed up when we needed him — often before we even knew we needed him — to help us overcome, solve, or otherwise get ourselves out of whatever mess we had managed to create.
He offered his unique brand of wisdom, which was often surprisingly profound and occasionally delivered with the subtlety of a brick through a window. Wayne was secretly generous and outwardly ornery. He could make you wonder whether he was helping you or giving you a hard time, only to realize later that, in his own way, he was doing both.
He was tenacious. He was opinionated. He is impossible to replace.
And despite his very best efforts to convince everyone otherwise, Wayne is deeply loved.
He leaves behind an immense following of people who will miss his perspective, his advice, his sense of humor, his generosity, his hard work, and, yes, even his cantankerous ways. There will be an empty chair, a quieter room, and an awful lot of people looking at a situation that needs fixing and thinking, “Well, what would Wayne/Dad/Bumpy do?”
And somewhere, we suspect, Wayne is already giving his quick and assured advice while reading the paper, looking at old cars, listening to the news, and eating his favorite things like banana cream pie, chicken pot pie, scalloped potatoes, chips and sour cream, and a bologna sandwich with a beer.
We miss him tremendously.
A memorial will be held for Wayne on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Plymouth Veteran’s Memorial followed by a gathering at the Newport American Legion Post 105 from 1-4 p.m. Guests are asked to come prepared to write down their favorite memory of Wayne. In lieu of flowers, please buy a veteran a coffee and/or donate to Maine Veterans in Need maineveteransinneed.org.
Rachel Estelle Snow
Brooksville and Round Pond, Maine
Rachel Estelle Snow passed away on September 6, 2026 in Round Pond, Maine. She was born on April 22, 1926, in Brooksville, Maine, the daughter of Alvin L. and Mona (Ladd) Cousins. Rachel lived a long, healthy life recently celebrating her 100th birthday with cake, many bouquets of flowers and lots of family.
Rachel graduated from Brooksville High School and soon after married the love of her life Keith Snow on June 13, 1944. They were married for over 74 years. They continued to live in Brooksville, where they raised their four children Shirley, Steve, Hal and Lucy. She also enjoyed gardening, reading, doing word puzzles and especially skunking us in her favorite game, cribbage
Rachel is survived by her children; Shirley Estabrook, Steve Snow and wife Cathy, Lucy Vachon and husband John, and sister-in-law Andrea Snow. Rachel enjoyed her 11 grandchildren Karen and Keith Farnsworth, Amber Tonry, Mona Buffon, Amy Bell, Christie, Joshua, and Darcy Snow, Leon and Justin Vachon, and Rachel Rac; 22 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Rachel was predeceased by her husband Keith, sister Dorothy Gray, and son Hal.
A family graveside celebration of life for Rachel and Keith will be held at a future date.
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