Phyllis Mae (Rowe) Hunter Obituary (1924 - 2021)

BENTON—Phyllis M. Hunter, 97, of Benton was reunited with her beloved husband, Guy when she passed away peacefully on August 10, 2021. Phyllis was born January 22, 1924 in Benton, the oldest daughter of the late Albert E. and Ruby M. (Ranlett) Rowe in the home of her late grandparents, Bernard and Vesta (Hall) Ranlett. It was also the home of her late great grandparents, Samuel and Ann (Stewart) Ranlett and her great great grandparents, Charles and Nancy (Roundy) Ranlett which was established in 1831. Four generations were born in this Ranlett homestead. Phyllis was educated in the schools of Clinton, Benton, and Fairfield, graduating from Lawrence High School in Fairfield, class of 1942. After graduation she worked as a secretary for the athletic department at the old Colby College campus in Waterville until her marriage to Gut Ivan Hunter on August 1, 1943. Phyllis also was employed in the office of the late C.F. Hathaway Shirt Company in Waterville for twenty-seven years, retiring in 1985. Phyllis has been a member of Clinton and Benton Grange since 1938, a member of East Kennebec Pomona Grange, Maine State Grange and the National Grange. She was also a charter member and past president of the Clinton Historical Society and a member of the Taconnett Falls Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society as well as the Waterville Humane Society. She was a member of Brown Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton. She became a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) in the year 2013. Since her retirement, she had enjoyed searching the Hunter/Rowe Ancestry and found it to be very interesting and rewarding. She and her husband also spent several winters in Florida which they enjoyed as they both had relative in the area. At the time of her retirement, she had seventy-five African Violets to care for. Besides her parents, Phyllis was predeceased by her loving husband, Guy, in 1997; her only brother, Albert E. Rowe Jr. in 1985; a dearly beloved sister, Barbara (Rowe) Grant in 2004; and a very special brother-in-law, Mark L. Grant Jr. in 2011. Survivors include the following: her two beloved sisters, Gladys (Rowe) Lee of Skowhegan and Theresa (Rowe) Monk of Clinton; a special sister-in-law, Joyce (Hunt) Rowe of Clinton; two nieces, Trudy (Monk) Hanson and her husband, Donald of Winthrop and Ellen (Rowe) Faulkner and her husband, Kenneth of Clinton; two nephews, David Lee and his wife, Johnna of Skowhegan and Gary Monk of Bangor; grandnieces, Hannah E. Faulkner, Nicole Monk, Janet (Lee) Mathieu and Kristin (Lee) Waning; grandnephews, Jacob Faulkner, Timothy Monk, Jason Monk and Larry Lee; two great grandnieces, ; four great grandnephews; and several cousins. Also, on her husband’s side of the family, many nieces and nephews; a dearly beloved niece, Ann (Clifford) Shores and her husband, George. Always there for her when she needed them, brother-in-law, Roger “Babe” Clifford and sister-in-law, Patricia “Pat” Hunter. And in her late years, a very dear friend, Doug Brooks, which made her life a little easier. She told him he was the son I wanted but didn’t have. Also, a very special caregiver, Kelly Paradis who took such good care of her. A celebration of Phyllis’ life will be held at the Brown Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton on Friday, August 20 at 1 p.m. Interment at Greenlawn Rest Cemetery in Clinton will follow the services. Memorial donations in Phyllis’ memory may be made to Brown Memorial United Methodist Church Trustee’s Fund, P.O. Box 58, Clinton, ME 04927 or Taconnett Falls Chapter of Maine Genealogical Society (MGS), 10 Lithgow Street, Winslow, ME 04901 ATTN: Laton Edwards, treasurer or of individual choice.