Marjorie Alma Cooper Dodge, 90, of Damariscotta, passed away in the early morning hours of April 27, 2020 at LincolnHealth – Miles Campus with her loving family by her side. Born in Damariscotta on Jan. 2, 1930, she was the daughter of Winfield F. Cooper and Kathleen B. Cooper.
For her first 12 years, she lived at Round Top Farm, where her father worked as head herdsman. In 1942, she moved with her parents to the Knowlton Farm, which her parents bought. She attended Castner Grammar School, Lincoln Academy, and Husson College.
She attended the Damariscotta Baptist Church as a young girl with her parents. She was a member of the 4H Club, sang in the choir at the Damariscotta Baptist Church, and was a member of the Baptist Youth Fellowship Club. As a young woman, she also belonged to the Nobleboro Grange.
After returning home from college, she went to work for her father and did all the catering for her father’s auctions for the next 20 years. She also worked in Cooper’s Red Barn Antique Shop with her parents. Everyone loved the cakes, pies, and sandwiches she made for each auction over the years. After her parents’ deaths, she took over the running of the antique shop.
On Sept. 3, 1961, she married Calvin H. Dodge, and they built a new home on the Back Meadow Road, but still worked in the antique shop. In June of 1973, she and Calvin moved to their present home at Cooper’s Red Barn, where she lived for the remainder of her days, admiring her flower gardens as recently as Saturday.
She had many hobbies and loved to knit. She made many large afghans, scarves, sweaters, argyle socks, thousands of pairs of wool mittens for a ski shop in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, as well as giving many of her scarves and mittens to local churches.
She collected salt and pepper shakers, and dolls which included a large collection of Barbie dolls. She also had a large collection of Maine postcards, and loved local history. For many years, she helped her husband write a column in The Lincoln County News, called “Damariscotta History.”
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Dr. Llewellyn Cooper and his wife Pauline; and their two sons, Dr. Thomas Cooper and Robert Cooper.
She is survived by her husband, Calvin H. Dodge; their son, Robert Calvin Dodge and his wife Stephanie; and grandchildren, Morgan, Rebecca, Jonathan, and MacKenzie.
A private graveside service for her family will be held at the Hillside Cemetery in Damariscotta. A public memorial service will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle at a later date.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting StrongHancock.com.