SARA BETHEL BOWDEN DEARBORN

ORONO – Sara Bethel Bowden Dearborn, 72, died Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008, at an Orono health care facility, after a courageous struggle with poor health throughout many years. A fourth generation Californian, she was born Aug. 10, 1936, in San Francisco, the daughter of Jerome Trimble Bowden and Adelaide Whitaker (Planz) Bowden. Her father’s forbears were early California pioneers who became longtime civic leaders, active in politics and cultural affairs in San Jose. Her mother’s family were also early California settlers in the Central Valley Region. Trimble Road, Santa Clara County; Planz Road and Park, Bakersfield, Calif., bear the family names as well as Bowden Park, Palo Alto, Calif., named for her father. Bethel grew up in Palo Alto, Calif., where she enjoyed a happy childhood in a loving family. She graduated from Palo Alto High School and attended San Jose University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she studied piano. She maintained a lifelong interest in music in its many forms, especially classical, musical theater and opera, to which she was introduced as a young child by her parents. Bethel married John H. Dearborn in 1960. They lived in Palo Alto, Calif., for several years, then moved to the east coast, first living in Cambridge, Mass., then Orono. In 1974, the family moved to a farm in Corinth where they resided for 29 years. For several years, Bethel was an active member of United Methodist Church, Corinth, where she sang in the choir and played piano for the church-sponsored program, Meals for Friends. She served as a volunteer music teacher at Morison Memorial School for three years and at Kenduskeag Elementary School for 10 years. For an extended period she played the piano for patients at Bangor Mental Health Institute. Bethel and John moved to Dirigo Pines retirement community, Orono, in 2003. Bethel is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, John H. Dearborn; a son, Mark, who lives in California; a daughter, Katharine D. Carlson and her husband, David, of Cumberland; one granddaughter, Sara Grace Carlson; and a sister, Marianne B. Bowers and her husband, John, of Palo Alto, Calif. Bethel will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She enriched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be sorely missed. Bethel wishes her many friends, love, happiness and good health, and hopes they will share her heartfelt support for the arts, especially music. A memorial service for family and friends will be held 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Church of Universal Fellowship, 82 Main St., Orono. Private interment will be in the family lot at Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor. Gifts in her memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, P.O. Box 1134, Portland, ME 04104-1134; or University of Maine Foundation, Two Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469-5792, in support of the John H. and Bethel B. Dearborn Marine Sciences Fund. A service of Brookings-Smith, LaBeau Chapel, 72 Main St., Orono. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.