Beatrice Hazel Simmons Oliver Kaler, 99, of Waldoboro, matriarch of five generations, passed away peacefully with her daughter Dinah by her side in the early morning on April 18 at the South Portland Nursing Home.
Bea was born Feb. 24, 1914 in Friendship, to Stacy and Mildred Simmons. She grew up in Friendship where the school only provided education through the 10th grade. To complete her junior year, she elected to take a job in New York City as a nanny for a six-month-old boy, and attend school there. Despite being homesick at first, she made the most of her time in the city by attending services at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and skating at Rockefeller Center on Sundays.
When Bea returned to Maine, her parents moved the family to Newcastle so she could complete her senior year at Lincoln Academy. Bea married her classmate Elliott Oliver in 1934 and they made their home in Nobleboro. Together they had one daughter, Dianne Louise (Dinah) Oliver. Elliott predeceased Bea in 1955. Years later, she married Walter Kaler who predeceased her in 2000.
Fondly known to everyone as “Nana Bea,” she took great pride in being an old-fashioned homemaker. She was an accomplished seamstress and baker, and took her spring cleaning very seriously. She enjoyed tending her raspberry bushes and dug dandelion greens until she was 85 years old. Her grandchildren remember walking to her house after school to enjoy a snack of homemade donuts, and her “butter pie” recipe is a family favorite.
Bea loved to play cards, read books and play Triominos, and she was always up for taking a ride in the car no matter the destination or how far the trip. Her favorite ride was to Le Garage in Wiscasset for Finnan Haddie with her nephew Bill Powers and his wife Melinda.
She remained in her own home in Waldoboro until she was 90 years old. At that time, she decided to move to Scarborough Terrace to be near her family who had moved the family’s business, R.C. Moore Transportation, to Scarborough in 1984. She loved the staff at the Terrace for the eight years that she lived there.
Bea was predeceased by her siblings, Grace Hatch, Vera Fish, Helene Dow, Constance Simmons and only brother Lowell Simmons who was killed in WWII.
She is survived by her sisters, Gloria Knipe and Gladys Johnston,; many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly; daughter, Dinah and husband Richard Moore of Scarborough; and grandchildren, Kelly Elliott Moore and wife Roxanne, Shawn Richard Moore and wife Betsy, and Hillary Jean Moore-Haskell and husband Carl; great-grandchildren, Sarah Moore, Ryan Moore and wife Tiffany, Peter Moore, Katelyn Moore, Paige Moore-Haskell, and Tucker Haskell; and great-great-grandchildren, Lydia and Scarlett Moore.
A family graveside service will be held at the German Cemetery in Waldoboro at a later date.
You are invited share your condolences with the family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.
