Avis de décès de Mary-Dorothy Merrill

Mary Dorothy Merrill, 79         SACO- Mary Dorothy Merrill, 79 of River Bend farm, Saco and Islesford, died Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005 at the Southern Maine Medical Center.      Mary was born in Boston on March 25, 1926, daughter of John Lee Merrill and Katharine Langdon Hill Merrill.      She grew up in Augusta, in the house at 136 State Street built by her maternal grandfather, the late Governor John F. Hill.      Her summers were spent at Little Cranberry Island, where as a young women she became a skilled sailor and was known to set and hauled lobster traps from her 12-foot sailboat. From an early age she showed keen interest in horses and riding and this became a lifelong passion. As a teenager, she had a pony that she rode as often as possible at the family farm in Belgrade.      After graduating from Manhattanville College, she went on to earn a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania.      Soon thereafter she moved to Searport, where she worked for the State Social Services Department.     In 1959, she moved to River Bend Farm and began raising and training thoroughbred horses for trail riding competition as well as racing. Even when injury put an end to her riding, she continued to take joy in knowing that her horses were in her barn or out grazing in the pasture.     Over the years she was a strong supporter of local institutions such as the Dyer Library and Saco Museum, Sweester and Most Holy Trinity Church were she served for many years as a lay reader. She also served on the Saco River Corridor Commission.      She is survived by her brother, John L. Merrill and sister in Law Helen Swan Merrill of Isleford, ME; a niece, Elisabeth Merrill Pratt of Cape Elizabeth; three nephews, John L. Merrill III of Mount Desert, Thomas W. Merrill of Sherborn, MA, and Joseph M. Merrill of New Canaan, CT; and eleven great nieces and nephews.     She is predeceased by one nephew, Andrew P. Merrill.      She also leaves many devoted friends and employees who kept her and her beloved farm and animals well cared for.      A Mass of Christian burial will be held Monday at 10:00 a.m. at Most Holy Trinity Church , 271 Main St, Saco . A Committal service will follow at Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta at 2:30 p.m. Father Pat will officiate.         In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to     Saco Valley Land Trust     PO Box 1581     Saco, Maine 04072    or to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust     Mount Desert Office, PO Box 669 Somesville, ME 04660        Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral home 365 Main St, Saco Maine is in charge of the arrangements.    Mary Dorothy     Merrill