Obituary for Charlene E. Stimpson (Blaisdell)
Charlene Elizabeth (Blaisdell) Stimpson
Long time St. George resident, Charlene Stimpson, died quietly in her sleep on April 2, at Quarry Hill facility in Camden, Maine. She was 99 years old.
Born in 1921, she was the eldest of three daughters born to Russell Blaisdell and Goldie (Lewis) Blaisdell in New Harbor, Maine. She graduated from Bristol Maine High School and from the Robert Brigham Hospital School of Nursing in Boston. While studying and working in Boston, she met and married her first husband, Earl Field, Jr., of Monhegan Island. When WWII ended and Earl came home from the war, they moved to Monhegan and over the years welcomed three daughters to their family. They divided their time between Monhegan and Port Clyde for many years.
In 1963 she married her second husband Arnold Stimpson, and moved to Martinsville in Tenants Harbor where she spent the rest of her life.
She was very active in the community, being a member of the Oceanside Grange in Martinsville, and the Naomi Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star in Tenants Harbor, holding many offices in each over the years. She was an energetic volunteer in the community. She danced and sang in the local variety shows to raise money for the local schools. She baked pies and casseroles and worked in countless community suppers and events to raise money for local needs. She was a long-time member of the Ridge Church in Martinsville and sang soprano in the choir for many years.
In the 1950’s, when the polio pandemic was raging around the world, she joined countless women across the country in what was then called the March of Dimes. These mothers walked miles collecting money which ultimately was instrumental in the development of the polio vaccine that ended that scourge around the world.
She was particularly proud of the fact that when she was in her early 30’s, she learned to drive, got her driver’s license, and bought her first car, even though that pesky clutch always presented a challenge. For the rest of her driving life, she was always willing to transport neighbors and friends to shop, medical appointments, or merely to just have a “ride around the Ridge”. She had a large circle of neighbors and friends that she regularly visited, checking on the older citizens and new mothers in the area and just offering her stories and help as needed.
She worked at Port Clyde Packing for many years until the factory burned down. She was one of the fastest sardine packers in the plant. She then worked at O’Hara’s Factory in Rockland until her retirement.
She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, a sister, Virginia Tarr of New Harbor, and her eldest daughter, Sally Blaisdell Field.
She is survived by daughters: Cathy Field of Rockland and Nancy Field Frederick and husband, Donald Frederick, of Martinsville, her step son, Frederick Stimpson of Martinsville, and her sister, Evelyn (Blaisdell) Radivonyk, who resides at the Quarry Hill Assisted Living Facility.
Surviving family also includes: grandchildren Marisa Wallace and husband Derek McClellan of Winthrop, Massachusetts, Daphne (Hughes) Thomson and husband Scott Thomson of New Hampshire, Russell Fuller and wife Meredith (Fagan) Fuller of Abington, Massachusetts, and Alana (Fuller) Sarno of Stuart, Florida. She also leaves great grand children, Ian Thomson, Sophie Fuller, Alec Sarno and Jacob Sarno. She is also survived by her beloved niece, Pamela (Tarr) Rice of New Harbor.
She loved her family and all babies, sunny days at the beach, driving around the back roads in her town, her flower gardens, playing the slots whenever she visited a casino, harness horse racing, and any and all animals, except those devilish red squirrels who invaded her attic from time to time.
A graveside memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 14th, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at the Ridge Cemetery in Martinsville, ME. In lieu of flowers she and her family request donations be made to the St. George Fire and Ambulance Funds, P.O. Box 131, Tenants Harbor, Maine 04860 or the Make a Wish Foundation, 68 Mussey Road, Scarborough, ME. 04074 or any charity of choice.
The family wishes to offer our deepest thanks to the nursing staff, volunteers, and all other members of the team at Quarry Hill. There could not have been a kinder group of people to care for her.
Hall Funeral Home of Thomaston, 78 Main Street has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences visit Charlene’s Book of Memories at hallfuneralhomes.com
Long time St. George resident, Charlene Stimpson, died quietly in her sleep on April 2, at Quarry Hill facility in Camden, Maine. She was 99 years old.
Born in 1921, she was the eldest of three daughters born to Russell Blaisdell and Goldie (Lewis) Blaisdell in New Harbor, Maine. She graduated from Bristol Maine High School and from the Robert Brigham Hospital School of Nursing in Boston. While studying and working in Boston, she met and married her first husband, Earl Field, Jr., of Monhegan Island. When WWII ended and Earl came home from the war, they moved to Monhegan and over the years welcomed three daughters to their family. They divided their time between Monhegan and Port Clyde for many years.
In 1963 she married her second husband Arnold Stimpson, and moved to Martinsville in Tenants Harbor where she spent the rest of her life.
She was very active in the community, being a member of the Oceanside Grange in Martinsville, and the Naomi Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star in Tenants Harbor, holding many offices in each over the years. She was an energetic volunteer in the community. She danced and sang in the local variety shows to raise money for the local schools. She baked pies and casseroles and worked in countless community suppers and events to raise money for local needs. She was a long-time member of the Ridge Church in Martinsville and sang soprano in the choir for many years.
In the 1950’s, when the polio pandemic was raging around the world, she joined countless women across the country in what was then called the March of Dimes. These mothers walked miles collecting money which ultimately was instrumental in the development of the polio vaccine that ended that scourge around the world.
She was particularly proud of the fact that when she was in her early 30’s, she learned to drive, got her driver’s license, and bought her first car, even though that pesky clutch always presented a challenge. For the rest of her driving life, she was always willing to transport neighbors and friends to shop, medical appointments, or merely to just have a “ride around the Ridge”. She had a large circle of neighbors and friends that she regularly visited, checking on the older citizens and new mothers in the area and just offering her stories and help as needed.
She worked at Port Clyde Packing for many years until the factory burned down. She was one of the fastest sardine packers in the plant. She then worked at O’Hara’s Factory in Rockland until her retirement.
She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, a sister, Virginia Tarr of New Harbor, and her eldest daughter, Sally Blaisdell Field.
She is survived by daughters: Cathy Field of Rockland and Nancy Field Frederick and husband, Donald Frederick, of Martinsville, her step son, Frederick Stimpson of Martinsville, and her sister, Evelyn (Blaisdell) Radivonyk, who resides at the Quarry Hill Assisted Living Facility.
Surviving family also includes: grandchildren Marisa Wallace and husband Derek McClellan of Winthrop, Massachusetts, Daphne (Hughes) Thomson and husband Scott Thomson of New Hampshire, Russell Fuller and wife Meredith (Fagan) Fuller of Abington, Massachusetts, and Alana (Fuller) Sarno of Stuart, Florida. She also leaves great grand children, Ian Thomson, Sophie Fuller, Alec Sarno and Jacob Sarno. She is also survived by her beloved niece, Pamela (Tarr) Rice of New Harbor.
She loved her family and all babies, sunny days at the beach, driving around the back roads in her town, her flower gardens, playing the slots whenever she visited a casino, harness horse racing, and any and all animals, except those devilish red squirrels who invaded her attic from time to time.
A graveside memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 14th, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at the Ridge Cemetery in Martinsville, ME. In lieu of flowers she and her family request donations be made to the St. George Fire and Ambulance Funds, P.O. Box 131, Tenants Harbor, Maine 04860 or the Make a Wish Foundation, 68 Mussey Road, Scarborough, ME. 04074 or any charity of choice.
The family wishes to offer our deepest thanks to the nursing staff, volunteers, and all other members of the team at Quarry Hill. There could not have been a kinder group of people to care for her.
Hall Funeral Home of Thomaston, 78 Main Street has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences visit Charlene’s Book of Memories at hallfuneralhomes.com