BANGOR – Doris E. Bessey, 93, died peacefully Aug. 7, 2011, at her residence. Doris Evelyn (Lander) Bessey was born Nov. 28, 1917, at the Furbush place in Parkman, the third child of Alfred Meigs and Effie (Drew) Lander.
As a child on the farm on the Lander Road, Parkman, she rode in the milk truck with her father, and loved the plants and trees surrounding their home there. When they moved to Cambridge, she spent many hours at the Labree place with her neighbor “Aunt” Mamie Labree, and learned the names of hundreds of plants and trees, and continued that love all her life identifying plants for us. She especially loved wild flowers. Doris attended grammar school in Cambridge; Higgins Classical Institute, Charleston; Thomas College, Waterville; and Becker College, Worcester, Mass. On Dec. 25, 1946, she married Floyd “Bill” Clifton Bessey of Freedom. She met Bill while he was working for the state, building a bridge in Cambridge. They had no children. Both Doris and Bill enjoyed canoeing, camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain climbing and gardening. Doris always made her nephews handle the angle worms when they went fishing with her on Jimmy Brook. She loved to have her nephews come by train to her home in Augusta, teach them to ski and skate on the farm in Cambridge, and take them berry picking in Parkman. Later in life after the nephew’s parents died, Doris moved to Bangor and made them her sons. Doris worked as payroll clerk for Wyandott Worsted Co., Waterville, and then for more than 30 years as secretary for State of Maine Bureau of Taxation.
Doris is survived by her nephews, Galen and his wife, Deanna Lander, Duane Lander, and Philip and his wife, Marilyn Lander; and several great-nephews, great-nieces, great-great-nephews, great-great-nieces, great-great-great-nephews and great-great-great-nieces. She was predeceased by her parents, Al and Effie; her husband, Floyd “Bill,” in 1990; sister, Laura Brazier; and brother, Maurice Lander. Doris and the family appreciated all who so lovingly cared for her throughout the past two years.
A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at Cambridge Memorial Garden, Cambridge. Memorial gifts may be given to American Diabetes Association, 10 Bangor Road, Augusta, ME 04330. Gifts may also be given in her name to Gideon’s International of Bangor, P.O. Box 134, Bangor, ME 04402, for the purchase of Bibles. Arrangements are by Crosby & Neal, Guilford. For an online guest register, go to
www.CrosbyNeal.com.