BANGOR – Evelyn (Carickhoff) (Thompson) Rambo, 95, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Jan. 27, 2011. She was born Oct. 2, 1915, in Philadelphia, the daughter of John Edward and Anna Clementine (Sheridan) Carickhoff.
Evelyn graduated from Liberty High School, Bethlehem, Pa. She married Dr. Wilfred S. Rambo June 26, 1937, by the Rev. Alger Geary, who also baptized both of them. They moved to Bangor in 1949 when Dr. Rambo became a radiologist at James A. Taylor Osteopathic Hospital, where Evelyn would serve as president of the auxiliary. They were members of Columbia Street Baptist Church, where she taught a high school girl’s class and became the youth leader for the senior high and later the college and career group. For more than 20 years she taught Maxell Sunday School Class of Women. She served a year as director of Christian education and organized a senior citizen’s group, the “Extra Years of Zest” Club. She was an advisor to the servicemen at Dow Air Force Base Servicemen’s Center. She sang in the choir for many years and later became the pianist for the morning and evening services until she retired in 1979. She wrote plays, poetry and music for several occasions and put on many family night programs for the church. She was a member of Naomi-Priscilla Circle, and served several terms as president and vice-chairwoman of program of the Francis H. Noble League. For two years she was the representative to the Penquis Association on the board of educational ministries of American Baptist Churches of the USA. She was the secretary at Columbia Street Baptist Church for 33 years, working for Pastors Geary, Partridge, Sperring and Hill. She worked with Clayton Rogers, organist, and others on the 150th Anniversary Celebration of Columbia Street Baptist Church. She was caring and compassionate and others-centered. She continued to sing until her last days.
She is survived by one son, Jonathan Rambo and his wife, Ruth, of Bangor; one daughter, Barbara Goss of Orrington; five grandchildren, Jonathan and Jedidiah Rambo, both of Bangor, and Jill (Rambo) Taylor and her husband, Joshua, of Hermon, Tasha (Goss) Gardner and her husband, Bill, of Brewer and Troy and Andrea Goss of Cumberland; eight great-grandchildren, Jerrick Rambo, Karlee Rambo, Jayden Rambo-Taylor and Jace Taylor, Trevor and Teddi Gardner, Brenden and Connor Goss; nephews, Jack and Francoise Carickhoff, Richard and Trish Carickhoff, and Robert and Bernadine Carickhoff; 14 great-nephews and great-nieces. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Wilfred S. Rambo, in August 1962; by her second husband, Donald Thompson, in 1982 after three years of marriage; by her brother, John Carickhoff and his wife, Eleanor; and nephew, David Carickhoff. Special thanks to the wonderful staff at Westgate Manor for their daily love, care and kindness.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 31, at Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia St., Bangor, with Pastor Scott McPhedran officiating. A fellowship reception will be immediately after at the church. Those wishing to remember Evelyn in a special way may make gifts in her name to Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia St., Bangor, ME 04401. A service of Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. Condolences to the family may be expressed at
www.BrookingsSmith.com.