CASTLE HILL and ASHLAND, Maine – Annis Howes Roope, daughter of Edwin Lloyd and Bessie (Bragdon) Howes, was born in Ashland on June 28, 1930, and she died at a local healthcare facility on January 26, 2018.
Annis graduated from Ashland High School and from Northern Maine Technical College as an LPN. Immediately graduating from high school, she worked as a Telephone Operator for New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., in Presque Isle. In 1969, she was rehired and worked there for a total of 13 years until the traffic department closed in September 1978. The day before her 50th birthday, she graduated from the LPN course at NMTC and worked at The Aroostook Medical Center on the surgical floor for 13 years. When she was asked which job she enjoyed the most, she would answer that she really enjoyed being a telephone operator and physically it was easier than nursing was at 50 years of age but the rewards of being a nurse were great and there was much satisfaction in helping people who need of her care as a nurse.
Annis has been a member of several Advent Christian Churches over the years and attended the West Chapman Advent Christian Church. At one time she was a member of Mapleton Baptist Church for six years and taught Sunday school and held offices in these respective churches and served in Ladies Mission groups in some capacity. At one church, she was Treasurer and Trustee and Sunshine Card Person at different intervals.
When she was a “stay at home Mom” she served on some of the fundraising drives in the community. Annis retired in 1995 and enjoyed sewing and hand stamping cards and made cards on the computer where she spent many hours copying and storing photos and poems for her cards and emailing. She researched and recorded the Howes, Bragdon, Eaton and Roope genealogy and had fun with that, sharing finds with her family. She attempted to serve her Lord faithfully since becoming a “born again” Christian in 1954. She thought life was good and God is good, always.
She has three surviving siblings, Stanferd Lloyd Howes of NH, Dana George Howes and his wife, Lois (Craig/Walker) Howes, of Ashland and a sister, Enid Louise (Howes) White of Guilford, ME, and sister-in-law, Carlene “Jo” Howes, wife of Bernard.
She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, James Stewart Roope, in August 2016, and by her three brothers; one year-old infant, Myron Bragdon, Hollis Harper Howes of Dixfield and Ashland and Bernard Dale Howes of Ashland. Annis was predeceased by grandson, Sabin John Allyson Clair Roope, and by the unexpected death of her oldest son, Boyd Edwin at 47 years, in March 2000 and her youngest son, David Mark who died of cancer at 53 years, in June 2012. She is also predeceased by grandson, Marine CPL, Dustin James Libby, who died at 22 in a firefight in the province of Al Anbar, Iraq, on December 6, 2006.
Annis is survived by daughter, Geni Montpetit and her husband, Gerald, of Castle Hill and Geni’s son, Christopher Allen Libby, and his wife, Heather (Ayotte/Wollard), and son, Colby. She is also survived by her son, Alan, and his wife, Kathy (Clair) of Presque Isle and their son, Seth Alan and wife, Shelly (Simpson), and their son, Kaden Seth Brian Alan, of Dover Foxcroft, ME, and Alan and Kathy’s daughter, Jenelle Marie and husband, Chris Scott of Searsmont, ME, and their son Latham Alan Andrew. She is also survived by David’s wife Laura; his children, Philip James of Biddeford, ME, daughter, Dannah Jean and her husband, Kevin Johnson and their son, Benjamin David and son, Andrew Jared and Vicki.
Annis was very proud and happy to have in her family, Laura’s girls, granddaughters, Lisa Rockwell Carmichael and husband Jordan and their twins, Lainee Charlotte and Jensen Marshall and Lindsey Rockwell. Annis is also survived by two daughters-in-law, (like a daughter) Annette (Turner) Roope, widow of Boyd and their daughter, Melissa Ann (Roope) and her husband, Nathan Maurais, their children, Edwin Albert and Adeline Julianna. Also their daughter, Jessica Mary Roope. Annis is also survived by another (like a daughter) Laura (Searles/Rockwell) Roope, widow of David of Castle Hill Annis has ten grandchildren; Christopher, Melissa, Jessica, Phillip, Dannah, Andrew, Seth, Janelle, Lisa and Lindsey, who she thought are the smartest, most hard-working, talented young people she ever knew and she loved them all so very much. Lisa once said, “Gramma has no favorites!” She and Jimmy were happy to name Rachel Dow as an honorary granddaughter. Annis loved her family and all her friends very much she had many nieces and nephews and their spouses and children who were all very dear to her, 100 or more of them.
A memorial service will be held in the spring at the West Chapman Advent Christian Church followed by interment at Southside Cemetery, Mapleton. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com
