HAMPDEN – Martha Sutton Temple, 62, died Oct. 6, 2009, at her residence. Martha was born March 30, 1947, in Portland, to Margaret Catherine (Sutton) Temple and George Leonard Temple, M.D. She moved to Belfast, Jan. 1, 1950, and lived there with her family, attending local schools. She attended the University of Maine, Orono, but dropped out in the turbulent 1960s. She moved to Boston, and lived there for several years. While living in Boston, she developed an avid interest in cooking and became a fabulous cook. In 1975 she attended Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, where she had a wild and wonderful time and even learned to cook a few things. Shortly after returning home from France, she re-enrolled at the University of Maine and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in French. In the fall of 1982, she began law school at Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, N.H., from which she graduated in May 1985. That summer she took and passed the bar and began working as an attorney in Bangor. In July 1985 she re-met Alan, whom she had known since she was six years old, at a class reunion. They began dating in January 1986, fell in love, and married in March of 1987. Martha was a warm, pleasant and loving woman; she was exceptionally intelligent, witty, very funny and had a vibrant zest for life. In 2002 she became ill with a medical condition that forced her to go on disability and end her career. She loved the law and was very sad to have to give up her career in law. She fought her condition valiantly with great toughness, and for the most part finally won in the spring of 2009. She loved her friends and had many of them and was always happy to make a new one. Her knowledge of food and cooking was encyclopedic. Her gardens were lovely, if rustic, and she was an excellent knitter. The ocean always delighted her and she loved to swim in the ocean. The cold water never bothered her. She was vigorously curious about nearly everything and she loved to read. She cherished her pets and had many of them in her life. Her most recent companions were her two sweet rottweilers, Buster and Basil. Martha saw life as fizzy and fun. She was thrilled to have lived to see the first African American president sworn in and hoped to see a woman president. In October 2000 she realized a nearly lifelong dream when she was a contestant on Jeopardy! She traveled the world and saw all continents except for Australia. Paris never failed to charm her and she was lucky enough to have visited many times. The rose red city of Petra, Jordan, was another favorite place with such warm people, fascinating culture and delicious food. She visited all the United States except Oklahoma and especially loved Hawaii. The national parks in this country fascinated her and she visited half of them, mostly on trips with her mother. She would have liked to visit more. She was predeceased by her parents. She leaves behind her husband, Alan C. Pickering of Belfast; two brothers, George L. Temple Jr. and his wife, Debbie, of Seven Lakes, N.C., and Robert S. Temple of Brunswick; her beloved stepdaughter, Robin J. Pickering of Brooklyn, N.Y.; extended family around the country and her many friends. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be placed at www.crabielripostafuneralhome.com.
MARTHA SUTTON TEMPLE
