Ethel Lolly Stansfield Gwyer

Ethel Lolley Stansfield Gwyer, 89, of Dowling Park, Florida passed away on June 15, 2012 at Good Samaritan Center in Advent Christian Village.Ethel was born and grew up in Yarmouth, Maine and graduated from Farmington State Teachers College. She began her teaching career as a home economics teacher in Mapleton, Maine. She married John R. Lolley, Sr. in 1947 and they lived in Springvale, Sanford, and later Wells, Maine during their marriage. Their son John R. Lolley, Jr. was born in 1949 and the closely knit family enjoyed summers together at their Ell Pond cottage. Through the years Ethel and her husband shared their home with several foster children. She taught home economics in Springvale, Maine and also taught sewing at the Singer Sewing store in Sanford, Maine. In 1962 she started the first private school for the "trainable" mentally retarded children in the State of Maine. She was the school principal piloting the private school through its absorption into the state's educational system. John, Sr., died in 1981. In October 1982, Ethel, known as "Mackie" to her friends, married Norman Stansfield. Mackie's granddaughter Kate Lolley was born in November 1982. Norman died in 1993. In October 1994, Mackie married Read Gwyer and they divided their time between her home in Wells, Maine and his home in St. Petersburg, Florida. She sold her Wells home and moved permanently to St. Petersburg, Florida in 2006. Read died in February 2012. She moved to Dowling Park in March 2012 to be close to her brother Rev. John McNeill and his wife Jan. Survivors include her son John R. Lolley and his wife Sarah of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts; a granddaughter Kate Lolley of New Orleans, Louisiana; her brother John McNeill and his wife Jan of Dowling Park, Florida; nieces and nephews; stepsons and stepdaughters. A graveside ceremony will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, July 29th the Oakdale Cemetery located on Twombley Road in Sanford, Maine.Arrangements are under the direction of Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home in Springvale.To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit www.blackfuneralhomes.com.