Patience Woolman Durand Willner. Leslie Anne Wellington. Dolores Daigle Barnes. Gary N. Wilson

just now

“People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island area has 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.

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Patience Woolman Durand Willner

Patience Woolman Durand Willner set off on her next adventure on Sept. 12, 2026, getting an alpine start. She was born in West Chester, Penn., on Oct. 7, 1928, and moved with her family to Cambridge and then Lincoln, Mass., where she met her life-long best friend Tilly Snider Keevil. She returned every summer to the family farm in Embreeville, Penn., where multiple generations of the Hayes family would put on plays, canoe and swim in the Brandywine, climb trees, and attend Romansville Friends Meeting. She grew up using “thee” and “thy” with her Quaker family and continued until her sister passed in 2012. She was a member of Swarthmore Friends Meeting and attended Acadia Friends Meeting.

Mom started college at the University of Geneva in Switzerland when her father was the OSS Chief of Station in Berlin at the end of World War II. She studied Russian at Georgetown University and graduated with a Liberal Studies degree from Lewis and Clark College. She spoke and sang multiple languages. She and her husband Don settled in Portland, Ore., where she raised their four daughters. She was an avid horsewoman, made beautiful pottery and always had flowers on her table. Later in life she became a physical therapist assistant and enjoyed helping others with recovery.

She was involved with many organizations including the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Hillsdale Farmer’s Market, Oregon Arts and Crafts Society, The Portland Japanese Garden, Neighborhood Emergency Training and the Multnomah Arts Center Chorus. She was a lifelong Democrat and attended the No Kings rally in Bar Harbor in March.

She loved mountains and alpine sports. She was a 70-year member of the Mazamas Mountaineering Club and raced at Mt. Hood Meadows. She went trekking in Nepal, took a train across Siberia, and went white-water rafting on the Deschutes and Rogue Rivers. She loved watching the Olympics and attended several. She loved to hike, kayak, bike and backpack. In her 60s she joined the Portland Golden Dragons dragonboat paddling team and met many wonderful friends with whom she raced to first place at the 1999 national championships.

Mom was a dedicated gardener all her life, and her last garden this summer included herbs and arugula. She made jam, springerle, and Russian Easter cheese most years. She was a voracious reader, she loved film, classical music, and puns. Her house rule for Scrabble was that you could make up any word as long as it had a good story. She had a passion for geology, taking PSU courses and collecting innumerable rocks on her travels.

At age 95, she reinvented herself when she moved to Maine and enjoyed making new friends. Here she took Acadia Senior College classes, went to concerts, and enjoyed drives around Mount Desert Island. She loved maps and geography, always consulting her trusty atlas when she learned something new. For her 97th birthday, we paddled her down Northeast Creek and picked cranberries.

She leaves on Earth her daughters Jennifer Russell Willner (Mickele Terrana), Anna Herrick Durand (Ralph McDonnell), and Rebecca Bennett Durand (Steve Etherington) as well as her grandchildren: Zephyr (and Shannon), Phoebe, Eli, Alifair, Jordyn (and Shane), Aly, Nia (and Sephar) Jacob, and Lily. She was predeceased by many friends, her parents, aunts, sister and brother, and by her daughter, Sarah Newlin Willner. She also leaves her nieces, Elizabeth Graham and Jessica Guadanga, and her beloved godsons, Andy and Dan Balmer and their brothers, Tom and Paul.

Our deepest thanks to the staff and residents at Birch Bay Retirement Community and MDI Hospital. A few days before she passed, she said, “life is just so short!” We’ll try to keep up, Mom, you go on ahead.

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Leslie Anne Wellington

Southwest Harbor

Leslie Anne Wellington, 79, died Sept. 26, 2026, at her home in Southwest Harbor. She was born April 9, 1947, in Bar Harbor, the daughter of John C. and Lucille M. (Harper) Wellington.

Leslie worked for many years as an LPN at the Southwest Harbor Medical Center. She will be remembered for her bountiful humor, joyous laughter and decades of magical flower gardens.

She is survived by her son, Louis C. Charlett of Bar Harbor; daughter Astrea Charlett of Portland; brother John A. Wellington and wife Marianne of Southwest Harbor; and two grandsons Basilio Charlett and River Charlett.

At Leslie’s request services will be private.

Those who desire may make contributions in Leslie’s memory to Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, 14 Mackenzie Ave., Ellsworth, 04605, or to the SPCA of Hancock County, 141 Bar Harbor Rd., Trenton, 04605. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.

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Dolores Daigle Barnes

Bar Harbor and The Villages, Fla.

Dolores Daigle Barnes, 96, died on July 24, 2026, in Florida. She was the late wife of Keith B. Barnes. She is lovingly remembered by her 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. A Mass of Christian burial will be prayed at 11 a.m., Oct. 23, 2026, at Holy Redeemer Church, Bar Harbor.

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Gary N. Wilson

Blue Hill

Gary N. Wilson, 84, passed away peacefully on Oct. 3, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Nov. 4, 1941, the son of Marguerite (Lenfesty) and William R. Wilson.

Gary grew up in Stonington and graduated from Stonington High School, where he took immense pride in being part of the state championship high school basketball team in 1961. Following his passion for education, he earned his teaching degree from the University of Maine at Machias in 1968 and embarked on a dedicated teaching career. Gary made a lasting impact as a beloved educator for a total of 32 years, first at the Brooklin School and later at Blue Hill Consolidated School, leaving a legacy of mentorship that shaped generations of local youth.

Throughout his life, Gary shared his many talents generously with his community. Deeply committed to public service, he served for many years as a selectman and town meeting moderator for his cherished town of Brooklin. A man of strong work ethic, he was also a trusted crew member for Prin A. Allen & Sons Builders, Jimmy Steele Boatbuilding, and Billy Rioux Painting.

Sports and youth leadership were central to Gary’s life. He coached the Mighty Mites basketball team, as well as the basketball and baseball teams for Brooklin and Blue Hill schools. He was also a familiar and respected presence on local fields and courts, serving for decades as a referee and umpire for middle and high school sports and men’s softball teams across Hancock and Washington counties.

Gary’s deep faith guided everything he did. An active church member and pastor for most of his life, his warmth, kindness, and genuine compassion for all people made him truly special. Over the years, he brought comfort and joy to countless families while officiating numerous weddings and funeral services.

Gary was predeceased by his beloved wife of 31 years and the love of his life, Janis (Gray); his sister, Helen; and his parents.

Gary is survived by his son, Joel G. Wilson, and wife, Colleen, Franklin; daughter, Kelly Slaven, and husband, Harley, of Blue Hill; sister, Rania Pettingill, and husband, Rod, of Sibley, Mo.; and sister, Wanda, and husband, Larry, of Gaston, S.C. He also leaves behind many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, dear friends in Maine and Missouri, and generations of students to whom he dedicated so much of his life.

A celebration of life will be held on Nov. 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the Blue Hill Consolidated School, 60 High St., Blue Hill, and followed by a reception at The Farmhouse Inn, 578 Pleasant St., Blue Hill. Those who desire may make contributions in Gary’s memory to Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, 14 Mackenzie Ave., Ellsworth, ME 04605. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.

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