Barbara Sewell

Barbara McCabe Sewell, 87, of Ladyslipper Lane, passed away on January 25, 2018 in her home, surrounded by family, following a brief illness.Barbara was born in Boston, MA to Anthony and Eunice (Rossman) McCabe on September 17, 1930. She was raised in Reading, MA but a deep connection to Maine was formed at the age of eight when she started spending her summers in Lebanon, tending the grove at Fernald Shore with her grandmother and sisters.Barbara graduated from Reading High School in 1949, attended Normal School teacher training, and married the love of her life, Philip E. Sewell of Lebanon, ME in 1950. They were married for 28 years before he passed away in 1978. Though Barbara considered herself a homemaker first and foremost, she was involved in many other endeavors. She taught kindergarten in Sanford, ME for one year, assisted her husband in his land-management business, helped open a family-owned restaurant called Stokewood where she baked pies, and, for a short time, worked with a group of community members to publish a town newspaper. An accomplishment Barbara was particularly proud of occurred in 1973 when she and her husband put a conservation easement on a 450 acre parcel of land in the center of Lebanon. This land will forever remain in its natural state. Barbara had many interests and hobbies. Always up for solving a good puzzle, one of her favorite things to do was study old deeds and walk in the woods looking for long-forgotten boundary lines. Barbara also spent countless hours sewing and knitting and loved her weekly get togethers with the Lebanon Sewing Circle, a group of ladies who, over time, set their projects aside for their favorite game, Scrabble. Barbara's love for dolls followed her into adulthood and she was known for her vast collection of antique dolls, children's dishes, and toys. Babies and children always found a soft spot in Barbara's heart. One of her favorite pastimes was playing with her grandchildren and, if there was a baby nearby, it would surely make its way into Barbara's arms. She also had a fondness for animals and was never without a dog or a cat and her children remember their mother taking in stray animals who needed her special care.Barbara was a proud and active member of the Lebanon community. It was through her long-standing membership in the Lebanon Historical Society that she found the greatest opportunity to serve her town. Projects Barbara worked on included erecting bronze plaques honoring veterans of various wars, the Town Pound, the West Lebanon Village, the Ezekial Ricker Ancient Burying Ground, and the Grist Mill. She and her dear friend, Marjorie Blood, took on the task of locating and mapping what might be every remote cemetery in town and each Memorial Day, made sure all veterans had a flag on their graves, regardless of how deep in the woods they might be. One of Barbara's greatest passions was preserving the history of Lebanon for future generations. She, in conjunction with other members of the Lebanon Historical Society, helped write a collection of 18 "chapters" on the town's history and six other full-length works on the town, its history, and citizens. In addition to her husband, Barbara was preceded in death by two of her sons, Graham H. Sewell and Jonathan E. Sewell; and two sisters, Nancy Schneider and Eunice Webster. Barbara is survived by her children, Nancy E. Sewell; Deborah S. Gardell and her husband Brian; Peter P. Sewell and his wife Pamela; Christopher L. Sewell; and her two daughters-in-law, Carol Sewell and Sharon Sewell. She is also survived by her sister Elizabeth Hutchins of Colorado and her brother, Robert McCabe and his wife Gay of Connecticut. Barbara also leaves behind her 12 beloved grandchildren who knew her as Grammi and 15 great-grandchildren.Barbara's family would like to extend a sincere thank you to Cornerstone VNA Hospice Care of Rochester, NH for their excellent care and compassion during this time. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Friday, February 2 from 4 to 7 PM at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale, Maine. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, Februay 3 at 1:30 PM at the First Parish Congregational Church of Lebanon. Burial will be in the spring.In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to: Cornerstone VNA Hospice Care178 Farmington Road, Rochester, NH 0386 http://www.cornerstonevna.orgArrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale. Condolences can be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.