Mary D. Holmes

Mary Direxa Holmes, of 75 State Street, Portland, Maine, died July 20, 2025. She was born in Bangor, Maine, June 21, 1929, the daughter of Jasper H. and Ruth E. (McKay) Haynes. She graduated from Bucksport High School in 1947 then attended the University of Maine at Orono for two years before marrying Theodore Crozier Holmes of Eastport, Maine. In later years she graduated from the University of Maine in Portland and received a Master’s degree in 1981. She was the second female C.P.A. licensed by the State of Maine.
She worked two years for Jordan & Jordan, CPAs; eight years as Tax Officer at Maine National Bank; and fourteen years at Maine Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where she was a Medicare Auditor for two years, then Accounting Systems Analyst until her retirement in 1991.
At various times she served in volunteer capacities, including 10 years as Class Secretary of U.S.M. class of 1968; 10 years as Membership Secretary of the George Cleeve Association; 13 years as volunteer at Maine Historical Society Library; and one year as Treasurer of the Greater Portland Chapter of Maine Genealogical Society.
She enjoyed her family and doing genealogical research with her husband. Their family cottage on Gardner’s Lake in Washington County was always a pleasant destination.
Mrs. Holmes was predeceased by her husband of 66 years and by their son, Stephen O. Holmes. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Julia C. (Holmes) and Joseph W. O’Neill of Glenside, PA; a daughter-in-law, Deborah Calabrese of Portland; and five grandchildren – Eva Holmes and husband John McNamara of Portland; Edward Holmes of St. Louis, MO; Malcolm Holmes of Portland; Elizabeth O’Neill and partner Sean Connors of Philadelphia, PA; and Kathleen O’Neill of New York, NY; a half-brother Jasper Haynes of Millinocket, ME; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by two half-sisters, Betsy Escancy of South China, ME, and Lucy Carey of South Thomaston, ME. Burial will be at Silver Lake Cemetery in Bucksport, ME at a later date.