SOUTHWEST HARBOR Ruth T. Grindle died eight days shy of her 93rd birthday, May 16, 2008, at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital after a short illness. She was born May 24, 1915, in Southwest Harbor, daughter of Eugene S. Thurston and Alice Orr Thurston. After graduating from Pemetic High School, Class of 1933, she attended MacDuffie School for Girls, Springfield, Mass., and the University of Maine, Orono. She was head waitress at Dirigo Hotel, Southwest Harbor, for many years and worked in the family store known as Grindle’s Store, Main Street, Southwest Harbor. Her favorite pastime was caring for her children, her children’s children, her neighbor’s children and their children. She was a Mount Desert Island Lioness and a longtime member of United Church of Christ, Southwest Harbor and more recently, a member of Tremont Congregational Church. She loved her hometown and will be greatly missed and warmly remembered by so many. She is survived by three children; her daughter, Ruth-Ann G. Fenton and her husband, Nathaniel R. Fenton, of Lamoine; her daughter, Linda Dow and her husband, George Dow, of Southwest Harbor; and her son, John P. Grindle and his wife, Rhynda O’Rourke, of Southwest Harbor. She is also survived by a sister, Elizabeth King of South-west Harbor; a daughter-in-law, Jan Grindle of Ellsworth; special friends, Connie Worcester, Mary Grindle, Carolyn Dyer and Dottie Vose; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She will also be greatly missed by her dog, Sambo. She was predeceased by her husband, Ralph M. Grindle; her son, R. Morgan Grindle; her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Densmore; and two grandchildren. A funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Tremont Congregational Church. Those who wish, in lieu of flowers, may donate to Hancock County SPCA, 141 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton, ME 04605 or MDI Lioness Club. Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mount Desert. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
RUTH T. GRINDLE
