Mary Elizabeth MacVane
June 3, 1922 ~ September 21, 2015
SCARBOROUGH - Mary Elizabeth Bennett MacVane died Monday, Sept. 21, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. Born on Munjoy Hill in Portland June 3, 1922, she was the daughter of Charles J. and Marguerite Kiley Bennett. She graduated from Portland High School, Class of 1940, and Gorham Teachers College. She taught school for four years in South Portland and 31 years in Portland. In 1973, she was selected as an Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America. In later years, former students would thank her for teaching them so well. After retiring in 1985, she wintered in Palm Harbor, Fla., and summered in Maine. She and her close friends traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe. She also volunteered for many years at Mercy Hospital in Portland. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Ellsworth L. MacVane, in 1964;her son, Peter C. MacVane, in 2012;her brother, Charles J. Bennett, and her sister, Ruth Bennett Holt. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Arthur L. and Marcia A. MacVane of Gray; her niece, Charlene Bennett Courtemanche of Dover, N.H., a niece who was raised with the MacVane family; a daughter-in-law, Kathy MacVane of Portland; and a sister-in-law, Marie Bennett of Kennebunkport. She is also survived by grandchildren Julie MacVane Arsenault of Windham; Andrew MacVane of South Portland, Lisa MacVane of Gray, Kelly MacVane of Westbrook; Ian MacVane of Brooklyn, N.Y., Elaine Courtemanche of Dover, Andrea Wiltfong of Tuftonboro, N.H., and Keith Courtemanche of Sarasota, Fla., and 13 great-grandchildren. Visiting hours will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday, September 24, 2015 at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Prayers will be recited at the chapel on Friday at 10:15am followed by an 11:00am Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Cross Church, 124 Cottage Road, South Portland. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. To view Marys memorial page or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ctcrawford.com In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Gosnell Memorial Hospice, 11 Hunnewell Road, Scarborough, Me.,04074, or the charity of your choice
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I am a 55 year old woman who has never forgotten my amazing third grade teacher Mrs. MacVane! She called me Margaret as all my teachers did. I loved every day in her classroom. She was strict in the best sense of the word, we learned so much. I loved seeing her kind face everyday and we all knew how much she cared about her students. My favorite subject was math and she would give me extra problems for fun! What a difference she made in my life. Mrs. MacVane made me feel smart and capable and valued. That was not a small thing for a girl in 1969! I have often thought so fondly of my favorite teacher over the years. To have lived a life that made a difference in the lives of so many is the is to have lived to the fullest. My condolences on the loss of such a special person.
– Peggy Forgione Foster