Bethany Hope “Light” Delano, 47, of Friendship, unexpectedly slipped away in the night of Nov. 28 at her home. She was born to Lloyd W. and Donna J. Light at Camden Hospital on Sept. 12, 1965.
Beth attended Waldoboro schools K-12, graduating from Medomak Valley High School in 1983, then on to UM-Augusta where she majored in art and literature for one year. She then settled down with the love of her life, Christopher Robert Delano, in Friendship.
Her many talents drew her to jobs of her interests and working choices: Senter Cranes Dept. Store, and Huston-Tuttle in Rockland, then to Prints Charming in Waldoboro.
As her children, Christopher Lloyd Delano and Jennifer Delano came along, she had a job with Friendship Community Pre-School in Waldoboro, where her children could go to work with her. Later she bought into “The Tot Spot” for recycling children clothes and apparatus. She worked a short time at Young’uns in Damariscotta.
Animals were another love, and she went to work at Yankee Clipper Pet Grooming in Rockport where she enjoyed the animals and clients and co-workers, her dream job, greatly appreciated by her “quirky” working family, too.
Beth’s curiosity and enjoyment of area history, led her to research the Delano family genealogy and she decided to research, write and publish a comprehensive look at the cemeteries of Friendship, “Stone Reunions,” giving many local families a beginning to their own genealogies. She would lead her children through each cemetery regardless of the weather, as she would research each plot teaching them a love of their own history. Her children were her best friends, loving to tag along for any adventure with Mom.
Beth’s hobbies were writing, reading, crafting new from old, and making jewelry of discarded items as shown on her website, Raspberry Ribbons. There was no trash in Beth’s life, she always saw beauty. Keeping up with family, friends and her animals was always at the top of her list of what to do.
Beth was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 149 of Waldoboro for 40 years.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Chris; son, Christopher Lloyd Delano of Friendship; daughter, Jennifer Delano of Damariscotta; parents, Lloyd and Donna Light of Waldoboro; sister, June E. Gagnon and husband Michael of Florida and Maine; brother, Lloyd E. “Chad” Light of Waldoboro; nephews, Jacob and Conner Light; father-in-law, Cederick Delano and wife Rusty of Friendship; mother-in-law, Marjorie Gray and husband Norman of Friendship; sisters-in-law, Jennifer Delano, Deborah Delano Heald, Wendy Delano Collamore, Jennifer Gray Kane, Kelly Gray Hall, Sherrie Gray Reed, and Therisa Gray Costello; brothers-in-law, James Delano and wife Debra, Matthew Delano and wife Brandy, and Zachary Gray and wife Megan; many nieces and nephews; aunts and uncles, Sheila and Roger Carlson of Rockland, Dale M. and Connie Beal of Owls Head, and Harold and Linda Light Hodgkins of West Rockport; cousins, Craig M. Beal of Rockland, and Lori Carlson of Rockland; and beloved animals, Snooper, Millie, Linus, and Patti Paws and Carrie Cat.
Time of visitation 12-2 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 6 at Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro with a time of remembrance at 1:15 p.m. Burial will follow at the Harbor Cemetery in Friendship.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to assist the family at 15 Salt Pond Rd., Friendship, ME 04547 or Knox County Humane Society, PO Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841.
Through her life, Beth found solace and peace in her research for “Stone Reunions.”