BROOKS – Mary L. Parker, 85, of Brooks passed away on Wednesday, July 28, 2004, at her daughter’s home in Hampden. She was born in Brooks on Jan. 18, 1919, the daughter of Albert and Ruth (Quimby) Lowe. She graduated form Morse Memorial, then went on to Farmington Normal School and Farmington Teacher’s College. She had taught over 800 students beginning with the first Kindergarten in Brooks in the fall of 1941. Mary taught kindergarten for 36 years, taught two years in Jackson, then became principal of Morse Memorial Elementary. She belonged to the Eastern Star and was a Worthy Matron. Mary was also a member of the Maine Teachers Association, National Education Association, past member of Delta Kappa Gamma, past president of the Waldo County Teachers Association, and a member of the Brooks Congregational Church. She retired in 1977 to her home The Cellar Hole, and made her home together with her sister Shirley (Bub) and brother-in-law, Raymond and their children, Ray, Randy, Holly, and had many wonderful years there. She was predeceased by her parents; a brother, Henry Lowe; a sister, Shirley Roberts; brother-in-law, Raymond Roberts Jr.; and two sons-in-law, Donald Downs and Albert Tenney; and a sister-in-law, Iris Lowe. Mary is survived by a daughter, Joan Tenney of Hampden; grandsons, Bradley Downs of Brooks and his companion, Cindi Shorey, and Lance Downs of Candia, N.H. and wife, Barbara; a granddaughter, Barbara Moody of Monroe and husband, Steve; great-grandchildren, Miranda Downs of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Donald Downs of Monroe, Melissa and Heather Moody of Winterport, and Ashley and Justin Downs of Bangor; nephews, Ray Roberts and his wife, Carol, of Jackson, Randy Roberts and wife, Diane, of Unity, Holly Keller and husband, Gary, of Hampden; cousins, Peter Quimby and wife, Norma, of Brooks, and Ray “Bunky” Quimby and wife, Nancy, of Brooks and their families; a stepdaughter, Suzanne Allgaier of Lehi, Utah; and her daughter’s dog, Benji. Friends are invited to gather 6-8 p.m. Saturday at the Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave., Belfast. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Brooks Congregational Church, Brooks, with the Rev. Suzie Gowie officiating. Interment will take place at a later date at Rose Cemetery, Brooks. Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so to either the Brooks Congregational Church, Brooks, ME 04921 or New Hope Hospice, P.O. Box 757, Holden, ME 04429-0457.
MARY L. PARKER
