LUBEC – Eileen Henrietta (Mears) Ross, 86, beloved wife of Bernard Ross, passed away Dec. 7, 2011, at Marshall Health Care, Machias. She was born in Bothenhampton, England, to Gilbert and Henrietta (Symes) Mears.
She grew up in Bradpole, England, during the war, narrowly surviving a bombing of her street and living through rations and blackout restrictions. As a young girl, she worked as a nanny, riding the train out-of-town and returning home on the weekend. She came to America as a war bride, arriving on the Queen Mary with her son, Gary. She made her home in West Lubec, marrying her second husband, Bernard, with whom she had two girls. She helped to build their new home, which she resided in all her life except for a few years stationed in Alaska. She took great joy in repairing, painting and decorating. She sewed most of our clothes, knit, crocheted, gardened and canned. She taught her children many of these skills, as well as self-discipline and motherhood, all with copious amounts of love and great food. She showed us the value of hard work; if you want something, learn how to achieve it. She loved babies and small children, and you can bet there is now a rocking chair in heaven and little angels are being tenderly cared for and tucked in at night. She was active for some years in West Lubec Methodist Church, was a collector and reader of books with her friend, Joan Jasper, and they loved bird watching. She put out the word, an off-course sandhill crane was in the area for the first time since the late 1800s, and many bird watchers and reporters came to see. She turned the backyard into a garden of flowering shrubs and trees. She often said how ironic it was she came to America, where she met the Queen’s mother in person.
Eileen is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, Bernard; son, Gary Quinn and wife, Paula; stepson, Julian Ross; daughters, Sandra Smith and husband, Eddie, and Barbara Mathews and husband, Bud; grandchildren, Teresa Quinn, Andrew Quinn, Rebecca Ramsdell, Barbara Ward, Corinne Mathews and Nicholas Mathews; and great-grandchildren, Jacquelyn, Joseph, Katelyn and Jaden. She is also survived by brother, Jim Mears; and sister, Gwen Outhwaite of England. She was predeceased by her brothers, Vic and Tom.
There will be a brief memorial service 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at West Lubec United Methodist Church, with visiting hours afterward downstairs. Burial will be at a later date. Arrangements are in care of McClure Family Funeral Services, Machias and Lubec.