MILFORD – Betty Sleight passed away Nov. 24, 2011, at a Bangor nursing care facility. She was born Jan. 29, 1927, in Lubec, daughter of William E. Baker and Jane (Higgins) Baker.
She graduated from Lubec High School as valedictorian of her class in 1945, and from Wheaton College, Norton, Mass., in 1949. After college she worked at the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn., and then at Stamford Day Nursery, Stamford, Conn. Prior to her marriage, she and her college roommate, Jan McCutcheon, boarded the Queen Elizabeth and traveled to England, Scotland and France. In 1951 she married Charles K. Sleight, also of Lubec. After residing for several years in Calais, they moved to Milford, where they built a home and raised three children. Betty taught at the Dr. Lewis S. Libby elementary school for 24 years in first and second grades, a job that she loved. After retiring from teaching in 1987, she did volunteer work for several local organizations. She delivered Meals on Wheels for many years, and also volunteered her time at Leonard’s Mills Living History Museum. She served on the board of directors at Old Town/Orono YMCA and on the board of directors at Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center. Betty enjoyed traveling, and when her grandchildren were young she traveled with her daughter’s family to England and Bermuda. She spent many summer vacations with them on Martha’s Vinyard and Cape Cod, Mass., once proving her mettle during an evening swim when an eel had to be hurled from around her neck. She also enjoyed a trip to Italy with two childhood companions. She loved attending Bangor Symphony concerts, Penobscot Theatre productions and other cultural events with her many friends. She also enjoyed many lunches with her family and friends at her favorite restaurant, The Market Cafe. Betty was a devoted dog owner, and she and her golden retriever, Lulu, shared companionship and adventures for 10 years.
She was predeceased by her husband, Charles, in 1987; and her brother-in-law, Earland Sleight, in 2011. She is survived by a daughter, Carol Sleight Tee and her husband, David F. Tee, M.D., of Arlington, Mass.; two sons, William B. Sleight of Milford and C. Kingsley Sleight of Thomaston; two grandchildren, Katharine Tee of Boston and Jonathan Tee of Arlington, Mass.; and three nephews, Daryl, Alan and William Sleight. Betty made great friends wherever she lived and worked – in Lubec, at Wheaton College, in the local area and at the Lewis S. Libby School. She was known for her warm smile, which she kept through her final days. The family would like to thank the devoted staff at Bangor Nursing and Rehabilitation, where Betty resided for the last three and a half years, and where she made many friends among both the staff and the other residents.
A celebration of Betty’s life will take place 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town. In lieu of flowers, it was Betty’s wish that donations be made to Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, 700 Mount Hope Ave., Suite 420, Bangor, ME 04401; Old Town Animal Orphanage, P.O. Box 565, Orono, ME 04473 or to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be left at
www.birminghamfuneralhome.com.