Lenora “Lee” McGinn Lockwood died peacefully, with family and her caregivers, on Nov. 10, 2023, at the age of 92.
Lee was born at Eastern Maine General Hospital in Bangor on Aug. 22, 1931, the daughter of Florence (Angley) and Dr. Harold Joseph McGinn. She attended Bangor schools culminating as valedictorian of Bangor High School’s class of ‘49. She attended Wellesley College, graduating first in her class in 1953 with a degree in economics. At the time, very few graduate schools were accepting women. She was one of a handful of women who were granted acceptance to the Columbia University Business School (‘56 MBA) where she met the love of her life, Thornton “Thorny” Calef Lockwood.
At a Graduate School of Business party, Lee was serving punch when her future husband introduced himself and asked her for a dance. “The rest is history” is how she liked to finish the story. Her husband maintains that May 5, 1955, was his “enchanted evening,” just like the song goes in the musical “South Pacific.” Lee and Thorny began observing their May 5 meeting anniversary monthly. They celebrated yearly, both their May 5 meeting anniversary and their marriage anniversary on July 21, 1956.
Lee valued relationships first and foremost. Friends were family and family were friends. She made and maintained friendships for a lifetime – so many from Bangor, Wellesley College, Columbia University; her workplaces, which included Loomis Sayles in New York and Casco Bank in Maine, and all of the places she and her family lived – Portland, East Boothbay, and Brunswick; Elizabeth, Tenafly, and Demarest, N.J.; London, England; and Birmingham, Mich. Pets and all animals were family to Lee – childhood kittens and cats, her first dog and cat, her many grand pets, and numerous wild visitors who seemed to know she was an animal lover.
She was an active participant in numerous organizations including the Wellesley Alumnae Association, the Englewood (N.J.) Garden Club, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Women’s Group, and countless others. She also volunteered helping people as a tax preparer for many years.
Besides her love of people and animals, she was incredibly proud of her Maine roots. Until her final decline, she would pump her fists in the air and say, “I’m a true Mainer!” when anyone would chat with her. She was, at least, a fifth-generation Mainer.
Lee doted on her three grandsons, taking them on trips, spending summers with them in Maine, and supporting their activities and passions.
During the last seven years, her numerous caregivers played a significant role, not only in her life, but in her family’s life. And they, too, have become and will remain family.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Thornton, of Brunswick; a daughter, Carolyn Lockwood, of Bath; a son, Thornton Lockwood Jr. and his wife, Deanne Moore, of Cheshire, Conn.; three grandchildren, Nicholas, Bartlett, and Paxson. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Lynne McGinn, of Ocean Ridge, Fla.; her nieces and nephews, C. Stacey Smith, of Bar Harbor, Joshua McGinn, of San Francisco, Calif., Sepp McGinn, of Orrington, and Christian McGinn, of Parkman; and numerous grandnieces and nephews.
She is predeceased in death by her parents, Florence A. and Harold J. McGinn; her brother, John F. McGinn; and nephew, J. Pierce McGinn.
A celebration of life will take place on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2-4 p.m., at the Daigle Funeral Home, in Bath. A mass of Christian burial will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 in Bangor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Mount Pleasant Catholic Cemetery, in Bangor.
Per her request, gifts in her memory may be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or any organization of your choosing.
