HANCOCK – Marilyn LaFleur Carr, 76, died peacefully Feb. 21, 2009, at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital after living with ovarian cancer since 2002. She was born Nov. 19, 1932, in Washington, D.C., daughter of A.B. and Lola (Kerr) LaFleur. A resident of Hancock and a member of Union Congregational Church, Marilyn spent summers on Bustins Island, Casco Bay, for more than 60 years. For the last 20 years she spent portions of each winter on the Caribbean Island of Nevis. Marilyn could not remember a time in her life when she hadn’t wanted to be an artist. She began drawing as a youngster and painted until a few weeks before her death. Her artist’s eye, her attention to design and detail, and her artful use of color characterized her works. In her later years, she focused on small natural objects painted large, especially seashells, rocks and flowers. She exhibited in a number of galleries in Maine and on the island of Nevis, that she deeply loved, and her work forms part of many private and corporate collections. She studied at Parsons School of Design, New York, Philadelphia College of Art and graduated from the University of Maine, Machias. Professionally she employed her skills as a fashion illustrator, an interior designer and an art teacher to children and adults. Marilyn taught at Cherryfield and Columbia Falls elementary schools in the mid-1970s. She then became the first full-time art teacher in the public school systems of Washington County when she was hired as K-12 art teacher in the Machias school district. Later she taught art for 13 years at Massabesic Junior High School, Waterboro. She is survived by her husband, F. Benjamin Carr of Hancock; by sons, Brett Larson and wife, Mary Kay Peterson, of Honeybrook, Pa., and the Rev. Kim Larson and wife, Claudia, of Rutledge, Pa.; also by children, F. Benjamin Carr III and wife, Pamela, of Frederic, Mich., J. Fletcher Carr and wife, Adria, of Bridgton and Rebecca Carr and husband, Graeme Henderson, of Pasadena, Calif. She is survived by 17 grandchildren; as well as sister, Madelyn “Jan,” wife of the Rev. Dr. Paul Eckel of Bradenton, Fla.; brother, Martyn LaFleur and wife, Patricia, of Cocoa, Fla.; and brother-in-law, Calvin Carr and wife, Virginia, of Boothbay. Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Union Congregational Church, Hancock, and on Bustins Island next summer. Remembrances may be sent to Brewer Cottage Fund of Bustins Island, care of Mr. O.J. Garfield, 114 Royall Point Road, Yarmouth, ME 04096, Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, 3 High St., Ellsworth ME 04605 or Frenchman Bay Conservancy, P.O. Box 150, Hancock, ME 04640. Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
MARILYN LAFLEUR CARR
