Frances E. (Lane) Dunn, 96, of Damariscotta, died Sept. 26 at Cove’s Edge Long-Term Care facility. Mrs. Dunn was born Oct. 26, 1909, in Upton, the first child of the late Ellis H. and Martha M. (Littlehale) Lane. She was the widow of the late George H. Dunn.
Her family moved to Errol, N.H. when Frances was four years old. There they opened a general store near the headwaters of the Androscoggin River and supplied the lumber camps that were cutting long logs around the Umbagog and Richardson Lakes and sending them down the Androscoggin to mills. Frances worked in the store from an early age and it was here she learned addition and developed a keen interest in mathematics.
History, and particularly, family history, was always a strong interest. She was a direct descendent of William Brewster, a member of the Mayflower Colony and also a direct descendent of Deborah Bachiler Wing, a founder of Sandwich, Mass. She was very proud of the fact that Wing Family of America owns what is said to be the oldest dwelling house in New England. Whenever possible she attended Wing and Littlehale family reunions.
Frances grew up and received her first formal education in Errol, N.H. She graduated from Gould Academy in 1926 and went on to attend classes at Plymouth Normal School in New Hampshire for a short period, dropping out when she realized she was teaching more than she was learning. After a couple of years away from college to study hairdressing in Boston with her sister Margaret, she entered the University of New Hampshire in 1928 and graduated in 1932 with a BS degree in Liberal Arts. Her first teaching job was in a one-room school in Newry. At that stage of the Depression, the powers that be were giving all teaching jobs to men supporting families and she lost her job after only one year. Frances returned to Errol, N.H. and started gardening, which led to her interest in the Physical Culture Society and developed into her interest in whole and organic foods.
On April 30, 1938 Frances married George Dunn of Andover, where they established residence and raised their family. In 1955 Frances returned to teaching at Orr’s Island. Subsequently she taught middle school and high school math at schools in Dixfield, Litchfield, Farmington, N.H. and Franklin, N.H., before retiring in 1971.
George and Frances moved to Patten to create their retirement paradise. After George died in 1975, Frances continued the dream in Patten for several years, before moving closer to her daughter Mary in Edgecomb and later lived in Round Pond and Damariscotta.
Son, Howard G., husband George H. Dunn, sister Margaret Hawkins, brother Clifford and foster brother Everett Eames predeceased Frances.
She is survived by sister Martha Bennett of Lovell; son Thomas Dunn of Orange Park, Fla.; daughter Mary (Mimi) Dunn and husband Ronald Shapiro of Portland; son William Dunn and wife Laura of Litchfield, Conn.; daughter Sarah Latham and husband James of Barnesville, Ohio; nine grandsons; one granddaughter; two great grandsons; and five great granddaughters.
Education, nutrition and her faith were very important to Frances. She spent much of her retirement reading, gardening and participating in both Gould Academy and The University of New Hampshire alumnae associations. She was very pleased that one of her sons followed her through The University of New Hampshire and that one of her grandsons was able to graduate from Gould Academy 63 years after she did.
Remembrance arrangements are an interment service, 1 p.m., Sat, Oct. 21 at Woodlawn Cemetery in Andover, followed by a celebration of Frances’ life at the Andover Congregational Church. Her family feels an appropriate tribute to Frances would be a contribution to the Andover Educational Fund, Inc. P.O. Box 32, Andover, ME 04216.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 612 Main St., Damariscotta.
