BANGOR and ORLAND -Elizabeth “Betty” Harrison, 90, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011, in Bangor. She was born June 27, 1921, in New York City.
She was predeceased by her husband, Oliver “Bud”; her brother, George; and a grandson, Michael Christy. She is survived by a sister, Mary Haskell of Greensboro, N.C.; two daughters, Margaret Christy of Tarentum, Pa., and her husband, Garry, and Mary Ray of Fort Collins, Colo.; two sons, Robert of Cape Elizabeth and his wife, Dale, and Thomas of Brookville, Md., and his wife, Cathy; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
One of her more amazing talents was remembering birthdays for every single family member and sending them birthday cards on time. She spent some of her early years in New York and Dalhousie, New Brunswick, then moved to Bucksport in her teens. She graduated from Bucksport High School in 1939, attended the University of Maine, Orono, and then worked in southern Maine for the extension service. She married Bud as soon as possible after he graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1945, and then spent the next 23 years traveling the world as a military wife and mother, including living three years in Germany. After Bud’s retirement they came home to Maine, settling in Bangor. She worked at the University of Maine, Orono, and also completed her bachelor’s degree in the early 1970s, attending at the same time as Bud and three of her children. She became active with the alumni association, as her father George had been before her. She was recognized for her service by receiving the Black Bear Award in 1992. She was a fanatic fan of Black Bear athletics. Her devotion was measured by activities such as attending the college World Series in Omaha, Neb., and holding season hockey tickets from the first days of Alfond Arena, Orono. She spent many summers at the camp her father built on Alamoosook Lake, Orland, often joined by countless family members and friends. It was her favorite place in the world and she was never happier than when sitting in her rocking chair on the screened porch at camp, watching loons on the lake and serving as a loon counter. She was active in the Alamoosook Lake Association, serving for years as treasurer. She was an active member of Elm Street Congregational Church, Bucksport. One of her greatest pleasures was wintering for a month in Rincon, Puerto Rico, for nearly 35 years, surrounded by friends. Their beach sunset cocktail hours were legendary, enjoyed also by visiting family. Her hobbies were many and brought many friends into her circle – bridge, rug hooking, sewing, swimming, gardening, knitting, etc. She was a generous volunteer, giving time to the Salvation Army, the YWCA, RSVP and other organizations.
She was an avid baker, renowned for her Parker House rolls, which no one was ever able to duplicate and which were the price of admission for her at all family gatherings, church suppers and pot luck dinners.
She will be missed by family and uncounted friends.
A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Elm Street Congregational Church, Bucksport, with public viewing starting at noon. She will be buried next to Bud at Silver Lake Cemetery, Bucksport. Donations in her memory may be made to Great Pond Mountain Conservation Land Trust at http://greatpondtrust.org, P.O. Box 266, Orland, ME 04472 or 207-469-7190. Arrangements are under the direction of Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home, 28 Elm St., Bucksport.