Arlyne Marie (Harwood) Bernard

Portland- Arlyne Marie (Harwood) Bernard, 84, passed away on May 19, 2025, in Scarborough. Arlyne was born on January 9, 1941, in Augusta, the daughter of the late Francis and Doris (Clough) Harwood.

Arlyne cared more about others than she did herself.

Born and raised on Jackson St. in Augusta, Arlyne attended local schools and graduated from Cony High School. A classmate and good friend of hers was Gordon Corbert, who became a famous and well-respected science teacher. He is now buried near where Arlyne is laid to rest Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Yarmouth.

During her High School years, Arlyne spent much of her time babysitting her nieces and nephews, which contributed to her passion for helping others.

After High School, to help ladies with their hair problems, Arlyne attended and completed Central Beauty School in Augusta. To help people with money problems, she later attended and completed Augusta School of Business where she studied accounting. To reinforce this skillset, she completed a federal Manpower Training course and passed an entrance test to be later hired by the Maine State Water Improvement Commission as the secretary to the director, Mr. Rayborn McDonald in Augusta.

Arlyne was accepted at UMaine and studied towards a B.S. Degree in Education. To help children behave and learn in the Portland Public School Department, Arlyne applied and was hired as a certified and licensed K-12 substitute teacher. Her Success led to being hired at other school departments in the area such as, Westbrook, South Portland, and Gorham, just to name a few. She also volunteered at the Blind Center on Park Ave, Maine Medical Center as a floral designer in its “Flower Box” store, as well as collector of donations for the Red Cross, Cancer Fund and Heart Fund Charities. Arlyne truly served her community to help others!

Around the 4^th of July, she met a handsome guy (Arlyne’s opinion) walking down her driveway at her parent’s home in Hallowell, Maine. John Bernard was his name.

The two were drawn to each other’s good character and both agreed that the other “cleaned up well” when required.

After a brief summer and early fall courtship, the two wed at Sacred Heart Church, a small but cozy Catholic Church overlooking the mighty and pristine Kennebec River. What a pleasant and beautiful setting!

The two both knew and agreed that marriage would not be easy but required commitment and teamwork, something they both embraced wholeheartedly!

Arlyne was a good sport who believed that anything was possible, even convincing John to make certain changes to their home which led to the creation of 3 apartment units.

Following a brief honeymoon in the mountains of Vermont, the newlywed moved into an 11-room farmhouse located on Kent St. in Portland. Over the years, Arlyne forged friendships with nearby neighbors and members at St. Joseph’s Parish.

Together, John and Arlyne become a well trained and experienced “rescue-team,” since 1961 they rescued and relocated more than 50 unwanted dogs!  One of the first puppies they took in was named “Flakey”- she would go on to become a “hero pet dog”; Edwin Churchill, chief curator of our Maine State Museum in Augusta, put a public display of a life-sized carved wooden statue of “Flakey” to honor her.

In her free time, Arlyne enjoyed knitting mittens and scarves, and she had a special talent for crochet and hooked rugs. A savvy shopper with an eye for style, she delighted in finding fashion bargains and sharing her finds with friends and family.

Arlyne believed in the good in others and lived by example. A merciful God will surely embrace her now.

Arlyne was predeceased by her siblings, Katherine Smith, Elizabeth “Betty” Wright, Louise Briggs, Edward Harwood, and Francis Harwood. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, John L. Bernard; and many beloved nieces and nephews and extended family members.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Hospice of Southern Maine, especially Arlyne’s nurse, Jodi.