L. Marguerite Sylvester, 93, of Friendship, died Oct. 21 at the home of her daughter, Eden, in Nobleboro, surrounded by her loving family.
Marguerite was born May 30, 1916 in Boston, Mass. She was the daughter of Lorenzo C. and Martha E. Creamer. Although she was born in Massachusetts, she always had ties to Maine as her father was born in Waldoboro and her summers were spent in Friendship. She graduated from Newton High School and went on to graduate from Sargent College which is part of Boston University.
In 1938 Marguerite married Charles H. Dwyer Sylvester and Friendship became her permanent home. Her life was spent teaching school and serving the Lord through her various positions at her church. She taught at the Friendship Village School for 25 years and then went on to teach several years at the Laura Libby School in Thomaston. During her years teaching she got her Master’s Degree in Education from U of M., Orono.
She was a very active member of the Advent Christian Church for many years. She taught VBS for a number of years and was very active in the Women’s Home and Foreign Missions. She was a deaconess in the church from 1975 to 1985. She also was the treasurer of the Advent Christian Campground in Washington for a number of years. She also ran the campground store, selling among other things, lobster rolls made from lobster that her husband, Charlie, donated to the campground for 75 cents. Another organization that Marguerite and her husband, Charlie, participated in was the Gideon Society.
After her retirement from teaching, Marguerite didn’t slow down much and went to the Retired Teachers Organization for years and was the Knox County Retired Teachers president from 1984-1986. She also was a part of the Friendship and Cushing Senior Citizens and organized many a trip for the senior citizens and helped design and make several floats for the senior citizens in the Friendship Day Parade. She also organized the Heritage Recipes cookbook that the Senior Citizens put out in 2002.
Writing was a great interest of Marguerite’s and she belonged to a memoir writing class at the Spectrum Generation in Rockland and was a great friend to all the ladies who participated in that group. Also, she was active in the Friendship Museum and in 2007 was a driving force behind the Friendship Homes book published by the Friendship Museum and wrote five of the chapters in that book.
Marguerite loved learning and was always ready for new experiences. She traveled to Italy with her sister, Frances, and traveled to Israel with her husband to see many of the places mentioned in the Bible. She also traveled across the United States two times with family members. She and her sister loved going to antique auctions. In her 80s Marguerite taught herself how to use the computer and wrote a memoir of her life on it.
Marguerite was predeceased by her husband, Charles; daughter, Sharon Sylvester Hayes; and sister, Evelyn Wotton.
Marguerite is survived by her daughters, Linda DeRosa of Friendship, and Eden Spear and husband Ronald of Nobleboro; brothers, Gardner Creamer and wife Margaret of Sorrento, and Lorenzo C. Creamer, Jr. of Laramie, Wyo.; sister, Frances Richardson of Friendship; granddaughter, Samantha Spear of Nobleboro; grandson, Troy Hayes of Liberty; great-grandson, Charles A. Hayes of Friendship; and nine nieces and four nephews.
Visiting hours 5-7 p.m., Sun., Oct. 25 at the Hall Funeral Home, Waldoboro. Celebration of Marguerite’s life 1 p.m., Mon., Oct. 26 in the Advent Christian Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Friendship Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 279, Friendship, ME 04547 or to the Advent Christian Church, 19 Cushing Rd., Friendship, ME 04547.
Arrangements are under the care of the Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.