Hester Stuhlman, the daughter of the Ven. Henry Krusen and Mildred Josephine (Saile) Krusen, and the wife of the Rev. Byron Stuhlman, died in hospice care at the Harborview Cottage on the morning of Oct. 9. Born on Sept. 12, 1943, in Manistee, Mich., she grew up in Central Falls, R.I. and Buffalo, N.Y.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from William Smith College (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University in French, she taught for two years as a volunteer for mission in Malawi at Malosa Secondary School. She then taught in Setauket, Long Island for a year before marrying and moving to Hartford in 1968. While in Hartford, she taught in Glastonbury and also trained as a docent at the Wadsworth Atheneum.
In 1971 she moved with her husband to Bridgewater, Conn. She then taught part time and continued to volunteer as a docent at the Atheneum. The Stuhlmans moved to Durham, N.C. in 1988, where Byron took a doctor’s degree in liturgy and theology. In 1991, the Stuhlmans moved to Clinton, N.Y., where Byron taught at Hamilton College and held various parish positions. While there, Hester trained docents and developed tours at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute.
The Stuhlmans have summered in Maine since 1969, and first bought a cottage and then their house, in Round Pond. They retired to Round Pond in 2007. Hester has sung in church choirs since she was a child and was a member of Tapestry Singers. She has also served as chair and board member of the Burnham Library in Bridgewater, as a board member of the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton, as a board member of the Salt Bay Chamberfest, and as a member of the vestry of St. Andrew’s Church.
She is survived by her husband, Byron; her son, Jonathan and his wife, Megan; grandsons, Justin Williams Stuhlman and Finnian George Stuhlman; her sister, Jennifer Kenna; and her nephews, Timothy M. Kenna and his children, Liam and Cara, Eric N. Kenna and his wife, Kathleen, and children, Meghan, Benjamin, and Molly, and Brian L. Kenna, and his wife, Kate; her sister-in-law, Rae Nell Krusen, widow of her brother, William Krusen, and their children, Summer Rae (Krusen) Mercado and Ashley Cecile (Krusen) Halliwell.
A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew’s Church in Newcastle, on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m., and will be livestreamed and archived on their Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Episcopal Relief and Development, 815 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017; Oxfam America, 77 N. Washington St., Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114; Doctors Without Borders, USA, P.O. Box 5030 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030; or St Andrew’s Church, P.O. Box 234, Newcastle, ME 04553.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
