Helen Dillen Stitham

STITHAM, Helen Dillen, 95, DOVER-FOXCROFT, November 25, 2011. A requiem mass will be held at
St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Dover-Foxcrotft at 11 a.m. on Sat., Dec. 3. There will be a Memorial Mass and a celebration of her life in the summer. Arrangements in care of the Larry Funeral Home, Dover-Foxcroft.

Helen Dillen Stitham,  95, of DOVER-FOXCROFT died on November 25, 2011. She was born in Mars Hill, Maine on August 4, 1916, the fourth daughter of Herrick Lufkin Dillen and Rachel Kearney Dillen. After attending local schools and business college, she worked in Boston, Massachusetts and Presque Isle, Maine. Before her marriage, she was the general manager of WAGM radio station in Presque Isle, the first woman in Maine, and one of the first in the United States, to hold such a position.

On December 29, 1942 she married Linus Joseph Stitham of Mars Hill, and worked in an advertising agency as chief accountant to support him as he finished his medical degree at St. Louis University in Missouri. During the war, she returned to WAGM while Linus served with the U.S. Medical Corps. In 1947, after a year in Lewiston, Maine where he finished his residency, they moved with their two young daughters to Dover-Foxcroft where Linus established his general medical practice and Helen, while managing the business of his office, created a warm and loving home for their children, who eventually numbered five.

Helen served for many years on the Foxcroft Academy Board of Trustees, twenty of them as Secretary of the Board. She was president of the Maine Medical Association Women’s Auxilliary, and a member of the Executive Board of the Maine Lung Association. She was an active member of many local service organizations, including the Cosmopolitan and Miosac Clubs, Charleston Officers’ Wives Club, Literacy Volunteers, Mayo Memorial Hospital volunteers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and St. Thomas Women’s Club. In her ‘50’s, Helen commuted to the University of Maine Orono for three years, greatly enjoying the intellectual stimulation and the company of students her childrens’ ages.

A lifelong avid bridge player, Helen, along with A. Ellis and Anna Stone, founded the Dover-Foxcroft Duplicate Bridge Club. She greatly enjoyed traveling, especially by train. She visited Russia by river barge, Europe, Australia, Asia and Central America. At age 80, she went to Hudson Bay, Canada to watch polar bears, and at 87 sailed on the Queen Elizabeth II on one of its last Atlantic crossings. She was fond of saying that her “hat was always on the doorknob,” and her bag packed and ready for the next trip.

After their retirement, Helen and Linus spent their winters in Port St. Lucie, Florida and summers at Sebec Lake. With her husband, Helen, the consummate hostess, gave many parties at both their homes. After her husband’s death in 2000, Helen returned to Maine as a full-time resident, first in Auburn, and then in Dover-Foxcroft.

Helen was predeceased by: husband Linus; three sisters, Anne Dillen Stimpson, Duska Dillen Glidden, Cristobel Dillen Lavin, all of Presque Isle; brother Robert Flint Dillen of Ft. Pierce, Florida, and daughter-in-law Margaret Poppelmeier Stitham. She is survived by daughter, Susan Ann Stitham and her partner, D. Rebecca Snow of Ashland, Oregon; daughter Cheryl Stitham White and her husband Robert of South Portland; son Mark Dillen Stitham, M.D. of Kailua, Hawaii and Cape Elizabeth, Maine; son Honorable Kevin Linus Stitham and his wife, Jane Hayes Stitham of Dover-Foxcroft; son Sean O’Brien Stitham, M.D. and his wife Jean Nahan of Seattle, Washington. Surviving as well are seven grandchildren: Dillen Hathorn White of South Portland; Ian Kearney White and his wife Samantha Steele White of Little Silver, New Jersey; Katherine Kearney Stitham of Cape Elizabeth; Allison Dillen Stitham of Colby College; Stacy O’Brien Stitham, Esq. and Ryan Patrick Stitham, both of Portland; and Finnean Roarke Linus Stitham of Seattle, Washington. Also surviving are five affinal grandchildren: Aaron, Nathanael, and Benjamin Aschenbrenner; Katie Nahan; Annalise Plodwick. Bringing up the rear is one great-grandchild, Beckett Robert White. The family wishes to express its thanks to Helen’s caregiver, Joanna Robinson, and all of the staff at Hibbard’s Nursing Home for their loving and compassionate care of their mother.

Helen was a multi-talented and gracious lady, whose warm hospitality and gourmet cooking were legendary among her family and friends, and the many friends of her children over the years. She was greatly loved and will be much missed.

A requiem mass will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Dover-Foxcroft at 11:00 AM on Saturday December 3. There will be a Memorial Mass and a celebration of Helen’s life at her cottage at Sebec Lake in the summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Foxcroft Academy for the Helen Dillen Stitham Valedictorian Award, 975 West Main St. Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426, or to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, High St., Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426.

Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home, Dover-Foxcroft. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.