Obituary for Dorothy Soule
Farmington – Dorothy M. Soule, 69, of Farmington, died Thursday, August 26, 2021 at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington due to complications of Pulmonary Fibrosis and diabetes. She is now resting in the arms of her Savior in Heaven, fee from pain, worry and distress of any kind.
She was the adopted daughter of Burton H. and Olive (Bryant) Soule of Canton and was born in Rumford to Sylvia Burgess Marcellino on March 3, 1952. She was brought home from the hospital three days after her birth to her loving adoptive parents in Canton. She attended schools in Belgrade, Canton, and Livermore before going to Glen Cove Christian Academy in Glen Cove to a boarding school to receive her high school education. She continued her education at the Glen Cove Bible College graduating with a Bachelor of Religious Education in 1975. Later in life, she did what everyone told her she could not do; She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1996 with a BS in Liberal Arts/General Studies, designing her own program to fit social programs, law, psychology, and writing; as well as geography and sciences. it was Dorothy's dream from the 7th grade to attend and graduate what was Farmington Normal School, and she did it.
Dorothy had been a kindergarten teacher in a Christian school in Florida for a year and in the library for grades 3-6. She worked for over eight years in Maine school libraries and took care of elderly ladies in the Farmington area as a live-in companion for over eight years. She was an assistant teacher for developmentally disabled adult students in Turner at Nezinscott Guild for three years and adored helping her class. She also was a Maine Certified Technician I, II, and III. Dorothy had great pride in her accomplishments at UMF, working as a work study student at Mantor Library as a reference librarian and in the UMF library archives. She was a law librarian for a short time in Auburn before she became disabled with lung disease.
She has been a tireless self-advocate for her medical conditions and a help to others in fighting for medical issues, mental health concerns, and transportation, as well as disability rights issues. She would address the State Legislature from time to time on issues of importance to her; winning many issues in her favor, which also helped others. She enjoyed collecting dolls, antiques, genealogy, arts and crafts, cooking and baking, driving her car, watching television, listening to music, writing, and her computer when it worked! She was a 9th cousin twice removed to Thornton Burgess, the famous bed-time story writer. She also was a relative of George Soule of the Mayflower, who signed the Mayflower Compact.
She was a long-time member of the Henderson Memorial Baptist Church where she served a mission chair, worship assistant, church librarian, assistant teacher in a Bible Class in arts and crafts for the developmentally disabled, and loved her church. She cooked at home for the warming center for a few years making cookies or muffins for all to enjoy.
She leaves her cousins, Les and Mary Dow of Richmond and many friends whom she called family. Dorothy was well liked by all who knew her and will be missed. She also leaves her biological family who she found in the 1980's, Judy Roy of Jay, William Swan of Warren, and William Paccione of CO; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by sisters, Beverly Jean Campbell, Linda Blaisdell, and Dottie Pratt; an uncles, Paul Burgess and Ben Bryant; aunts, Sadie Bryant Dow, Eleanor Rose Bryant, Edith Elsie Bryant, and Dorothy May Bryant; half-sisters, Melody Marcellino Stinchfield and Darlene White.
Interment with a committal prayer will be held on Friday, September 3 at 10 am at Lakeside Cemetery, Route 4 in Brettuns (Livermore). In accordance with Dorothy's wishes, donations may be made to the funeral home to help her family with her final expenses. Memories may be shared in her Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Funeral services are being cared for by the Wiles Remembrance Center of Farmington.
She was the adopted daughter of Burton H. and Olive (Bryant) Soule of Canton and was born in Rumford to Sylvia Burgess Marcellino on March 3, 1952. She was brought home from the hospital three days after her birth to her loving adoptive parents in Canton. She attended schools in Belgrade, Canton, and Livermore before going to Glen Cove Christian Academy in Glen Cove to a boarding school to receive her high school education. She continued her education at the Glen Cove Bible College graduating with a Bachelor of Religious Education in 1975. Later in life, she did what everyone told her she could not do; She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1996 with a BS in Liberal Arts/General Studies, designing her own program to fit social programs, law, psychology, and writing; as well as geography and sciences. it was Dorothy's dream from the 7th grade to attend and graduate what was Farmington Normal School, and she did it.
Dorothy had been a kindergarten teacher in a Christian school in Florida for a year and in the library for grades 3-6. She worked for over eight years in Maine school libraries and took care of elderly ladies in the Farmington area as a live-in companion for over eight years. She was an assistant teacher for developmentally disabled adult students in Turner at Nezinscott Guild for three years and adored helping her class. She also was a Maine Certified Technician I, II, and III. Dorothy had great pride in her accomplishments at UMF, working as a work study student at Mantor Library as a reference librarian and in the UMF library archives. She was a law librarian for a short time in Auburn before she became disabled with lung disease.
She has been a tireless self-advocate for her medical conditions and a help to others in fighting for medical issues, mental health concerns, and transportation, as well as disability rights issues. She would address the State Legislature from time to time on issues of importance to her; winning many issues in her favor, which also helped others. She enjoyed collecting dolls, antiques, genealogy, arts and crafts, cooking and baking, driving her car, watching television, listening to music, writing, and her computer when it worked! She was a 9th cousin twice removed to Thornton Burgess, the famous bed-time story writer. She also was a relative of George Soule of the Mayflower, who signed the Mayflower Compact.
She was a long-time member of the Henderson Memorial Baptist Church where she served a mission chair, worship assistant, church librarian, assistant teacher in a Bible Class in arts and crafts for the developmentally disabled, and loved her church. She cooked at home for the warming center for a few years making cookies or muffins for all to enjoy.
She leaves her cousins, Les and Mary Dow of Richmond and many friends whom she called family. Dorothy was well liked by all who knew her and will be missed. She also leaves her biological family who she found in the 1980's, Judy Roy of Jay, William Swan of Warren, and William Paccione of CO; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by sisters, Beverly Jean Campbell, Linda Blaisdell, and Dottie Pratt; an uncles, Paul Burgess and Ben Bryant; aunts, Sadie Bryant Dow, Eleanor Rose Bryant, Edith Elsie Bryant, and Dorothy May Bryant; half-sisters, Melody Marcellino Stinchfield and Darlene White.
Interment with a committal prayer will be held on Friday, September 3 at 10 am at Lakeside Cemetery, Route 4 in Brettuns (Livermore). In accordance with Dorothy's wishes, donations may be made to the funeral home to help her family with her final expenses. Memories may be shared in her Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Funeral services are being cared for by the Wiles Remembrance Center of Farmington.