Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and dear friend to many, Mary Ann Cottrell, passed away in Dover, N.H., on April 7, 2023.
Mary Ann was born Aug. 13, 1931, in Augusta, to James and Catherine Booker. She graduated from Mentor High School in 1950, where she met her future husband, Charles. Mary Ann and Charles were married in 1951.
Mary Ann was proud to be a full-time homemaker. A talented artist with many outlets for her creativity, she filled her home with beauty inspired by nature. Her kitchen was filled with delicious aromas as she poured her love of creating into her daily meals for the family. Floral and vegetable gardening and singing were great passions for Mary Ann.
In her last few years, she was comforted by the display of her works of art that surrounded her. Just before her passing, a visitor described her apartment as a sanctuary for all who entered.
Mary Ann became enthralled with rug hooking after her children were grown. She loved every aspect of the craft, from creating patterns to dying the wool, cutting it, and hooking intricately patterned rugs. She became so busy creating patterns for others that she had no time to create her rugs, and eventually gave up pattern-making for others so she could concentrate on her own hooking creations.
Mary Ann always longed to return to her home state, so in 1980, Mary Ann and Charles moved to Round Pond. She was an active member of the Round Pond organization Helping Hands, which lent a hand to neighbors in need. She also belonged to a rug hooking group gathering weekly to hook rugs together.
Charles and Mary Ann had three children, Douglas, of Holden Beach, N.C., Linda, of Berwick, and Leslie, of Lee, N.H.; two grandchildren, Charles, of Boothbay Harbor, and Sara and her husband, Michael Villegas, of Lee, N.H.; and one great-grandchild, Harley.
In 2009, Mary Ann and Charles moved to St. Andrews Village in Boothbay Harbor, and were members of the Congregational Church there. After the death of Charles, Mary Ann lived with her daughter, Leslie, until moving to The Residences at Silver Square in Dover, N.H., in 2019.
In addition to her husband, Mary Ann is predeceased by her brother, James; and sister, Margaret.
A private service will be held in Maine this summer.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary Ann’s name to Amedisys Foundation at 3854 American Way, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, or to The Carpenter’s Boat Shop at 440 Old County Road, Pemaquid, ME 04558.
You can share your condolences, photos, and tributes with the Cottrell family by visiting their Book of Memories at hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall’s Funeral Home of Boothbay.
