Mary L. Wilson

    Wilson, Mary L., 96, March 27, 2011.  Arrangements by Dunn Funeral Home, Houlton.  Interment to be held in the Evergreen Cemetery, Houlton.
    HOULTON – Mary L. (Bubar) Wilson, 96, passed away March 27, 2011 at Madigan Estates Nursing Home in Houlton. Mary was born on “Crow Hill” in Linneus on December 6, 1914, the daughter of Merrill and Etta Bubar.
    Mary was one of the seven children of Etta and Merrill who had immigrated from Hartland, New Brunswick, Canada to Linneus, Maine in the early 1900’s. When Mary was a young child, the family moved to St. Albans, Maine where they established a dairy farm which the entire family worked at for many years. To this day, she always talked of the St. Albans/Newport area as “down home.” As a youth, Mary lived with several relatives during her high school and college years in order to attain a good education. Mary graduated third in her class from Newport High School in 1932, and excelled in her “center” position on the girls basketball team. Her yearbook stated that she was one of the “most loved” members of her class. She also attended and graduated from Houlton Business College.
    In 1934, she married Lloyd M. Wilson, the love of her life for 68 years, and they moved to Houlton in Aroostook County where they made their home for the rest of their lives. After Lloyd returned from WWII, they soon established a grocery store on South Street in Houlton where they both worked until1966. In 1970, Mary established her Nursery School on South Street, which she operated for 17 wonderful years, and was the job that she loved best of all during her lifetime. Young children were always special to Mary, and many of her students and parents remembered themselves to her when they would see her on the street. She appreciated this very much, and her love for them was very obvious.
    Mary loved her family most of all, and time at camp on East Grand Lake was enjoyed for nearly 70 years, especially with Lloyd after he retired in 1977. They spent many wonderful hours exploring the lake shores and fishing during the summer. Mary was a faithful Christian who loved her Houlton Methodist Church very much. She was so pleased that her grandchildren attended church and she loved her church friends more than words can express. The women’s “circles” of the church were very loving to Mary while in the nursing home and she appreciated it. Although she was blind for the last few years, the folks at Madigan Estates made her life comfortable and she enjoyed their efforts to care for her in a loving manner.
    Mary is survived by her son, Jerry L. Wilson and his wife, Melanie, as well as special grandchildren, Heather and her husband, Joseph Fagnant, Amanda and her husband, Peter Howe, her very special great grandchildren, Alison Fagnant, Elizabeth Howe and Sarah Howe. When Heather and Mandy were small children, it was Mary’s greatest pleasure to nurture and teach them how to be good students and good citizens. She was so proud of her offspring.
    In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd, in 2002, her brothers, Milton, George and Sheldon Bubar, and her sisters Helen (Bubar) Clark, Kathleen (Bubar) Griffeth and Bessie (Bubar) Hamm.
    Friends were invited to call at the Dunn Funeral Home Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Naomi Sam’Kpakra officiating. Interment will be in the Evergreen Cemetery at a later date. Gifts may be made in Mary’s memory to the Houlton United Methodist Church or the Houlton Community Arts Center, c/o Dunn Funeral Home, 11 Park Street, Houlton, ME 04730. Online guest book and condolences at dunnfuneral.com.