Frances Temple Rule, 91, of Boothbay Harbor, died April 13 at Windward Gardens in Camden after a period of declining health. She was born July 10, 1919 in Somerville, Mass. to Edward P. Maguire and Frances Temple Maguire. She grew up in Arlington, Mass., graduating from Arlington High School in 1937 and Children’s Hospital in Boston in 1941. She immediately began working as a registered nurse at Children’s Hospital, becoming the Head Nurse on the Orthopedic Ward after three years.
In 1949 Frances married Bill Rule and stayed home to raise their family of five children. She returned to nursing at Children’s Hospital when her youngest son began school. Always energetic, adventurous and involved, in Arlington she was chairperson of the local Red Cross, the Salvation Army, President of the PTA and a Boy Scout den mother. She was a member of the Boothbay Region Food Pantry Board of Directors, as well as chairperson of the Conservation Committee and the Boothbay Harbor Garden Club.
Frances summered on Peak’s Island in Casco Bay during her youth and this planted the seed for her love of Maine. After her husband retired, the Rules moved to Boothbay Harbor, where Frances was the Boothbay Region District Nurse until her retirement in 2000 at the age of 81. Frances began her nursing career taking care of children and the last 23 years caring for the elderly and shut-ins.
The Rule house was always filled with her children and their friends. Frances “mothered” and mentored many young people. Her generosity belied her small means and her life exemplified her beliefs that protecting the weak and the environment are the duties of all.
After her beloved family camp on Lake Moxie in Maine was destroyed by fire in 1991, Frances took an active roll in the rebuilding effort – peeling logs, cooking many meals and always giving advice to the volunteer crew of friends and family that showed up each weekend to lend a hand. She spent many happy days berry picking, exploring the old dirt logging roads, observing the ever changing world outdoors and recording it all in the many journals she kept.
A life long learner, traveler and amateur geologist Frances was a fascinating interpretive guide for her traveling companions. Her children recall a particularly adventurous family packhorse trip to Mount Assiniboine on the Great Divide with their mother in the lead. While in her 80s she and her niece Carol made annual trips through the Canadian Maritimes, the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. At 85 years of age Frances fulfilled a longtime desire to raft down the Colorado River with her son Alex. The rocks and fossils collected from her many travels were displayed all around her home and garden.
Frances was an expert seamstress and made many of her own clothes. Frances’ knitting needles were always busy with a project. Her much coveted sweaters are treasured by the fortunate recipients. Other passions included a voracious appetite for literature, a love of classical music and her uncanny ability to breeze through an endless steam of the most challenging New York Times crossword puzzles.
An animal lover, Frances always adopted the neediest shelter dogs and provided them with a loving home throughout their senior years. Creating her own unique tradition her succession of Siamese cats were always named Tso Ling and Quinque with an appropriate Roman numeral identifying their place in the timeline. She loved them each as individuals.
Frances lived independently until last year when she moved to Camden to be closer to her family. Her children are consoled by the opportunity to have spent more time with her.
She is survived by sons, Philip Rule and wife Laurie of Thomaston and Alexander Rule and wife Kim of Seattle, Wash.; daughters, Christina Rule of Portland, Deborah Rule and husband Mark Guilmet of Thomaston and Victoria Hall and husband David of North Windham; stepdaughter, Patricia Meyer and husband Bill of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; grandchildren, Samantha Rule of Peterborough, N.H., Jacob Hall of Arlington, Mass., Joshua Hall of North Windham, John Hammond and Cathy of Portland, Keagan Hammond of Portland, Faith Hammond of Portland, Bradley Hammond of Portland, Liam Rule of Seattle, Wash. and Declan Rule of Seattle, Wash.; great-grandchildren, Ezra Faucher, Al-ya Hammond, Lito Hammond; and niece, Carol Bell of Skowhegan.
Visiting hours 6-8 p.m., Fri., April 29 at Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay. Funeral mass 11 a.m., Sat.y, April 30 at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Atlantic Ave., Boothbay Harbor. A reception will follow the Mass in the Parish Hall.
Should friends desire, contributions in Frances’ memory may be made to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb, ME 04556 or Kno-Wal-Lin Hospice, 170 Pleasant St., Rockland, ME 04841.
You are invited to share your condolences, memories and photos with the Rule family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay.
