ELLSWORTH, Maine — Services will be held at St. Savior’s Church in Bar Harbor on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. for Carolyn Johnston who died at home on Jan. 19, and as she wished, was cared for by hospice and her family. The service will be followed by a reception in the church’s rectory.
Carolyn was born June 19, 1937, in Bar Harbor, Maine, daughter of Arthur (Brud) and Helen MacQuinn.
She graduated from Bar Harbor High School, class of 1955. During her school years, she was active in all aspects of high school life, participating to the fullest. She was a varsity cheerleader, student council member, a Spear Speaking Contest finalist, Y-Teens president, served on the Islander Board and was a Football Queen.
Carolyn went on to graduate from Westbrook College, which is now known as New England College, with a degree in Medical Records Management.
In the summer of 1957, she married her husband Lawrence Johnston (Larry), also a native of Bar Harbor, at St. Saviors Church in Bar Harbor. They moved to Brunswick, Maine where he finished his education at Bowdoin College. Carolyn was active in the Bowdoin Wives Club, a group of “gals” that volunteered wherever needed. During their early years, their first house became a weekend “hostel” for girls visiting their sweethearts at Bowdoin.
Larry’s work took the family to Bangor where Carolyn was a member of the Junior League. Moving to the Burlington, Vermont area in the 1960’s, Carolyn was bookkeeper to the Underhill, Vermont School District. In the 1970’s the family located to Ridgefield, Connecticut. While there, Larry commuted to New York City to continue working for the New York Life Insurance Company. During this time all her children graduated from Ridgefield High School, while enjoying their many travels with mom and dad.
Living in Connecticut, Carolyn worked as a “Kelly Girl” in New York and Connecticut. Her favorite employment was with Standard Brands as the office manager during their merger with Nabisco.
After being away from Maine for 25 years, “just like a salmon” it was time to swim up-stream and return home. The family moved to Oak Point in Trenton, Maine. They operated the Oak Point Lobster Pound Restaurant, which could not have been done without the early help of their children.
Upon their move to Ellsworth, Carolyn and Larry volunteered for several organizations, and were devotedly active to their beloved Church of Our Father in Hulls Cove.
Carolyn loved to travel, finding new vistas and discovering many adventures here and abroad. She often said “The G.P.S. directions saved our marriage”.
She celebrated her love of music, art, knitting and the out-of-doors by spending summers at the 97-year-old “green” camp on Beech Hill Pond.
Carolyn is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lawrence; and their four children; daughter Ann Johnston, and her husband Pritam Singh and their children Noah Singh and Simran Johnston of South Woodstock, son Alexander Johnston, and his partner, Dr. Bret Findley of Burlington, daughter, Lynn Johnston Jacobs and partner Ben Andrews and her children Chad, Luke and Molly Jacobs of South Woodstock and her son Eric Johnston and his wife Julie Johnston of Barnard. She is also survived by her cousins, Marty Reynolds, Rebecca MacQuinn, and the late Ronald MacQuinn’s wife, Barbara; her late brother Douglas’s children, Lisa Tweedee, Karen Shields and Jan Gee, and their caring mother Lucy Tripsett; nephews John Rogers, Ricky Goduti, and James Goduti, and her cousins Peter and Paul Douglas. Carolyn also leaves five step-grandchildren, Siri Kaur, Tyler Reynolds, Charan Kaur, Brian Jacobs and Rebecca Willard.
Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Arthur (Brud) MacQuinn; one brother Douglas; a special cousin Ronald MacQuinn; and her son-in-law Lt. Richard Jacobs.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Church of Our Father, P.O. Box 186, Hulls Cove, ME 04644.
Carolyn asks that we say to all: “Make it a good day, and bye-bye!”
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home, 113 Franklin St, Ellsworth.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
This obituary will also appear in the January 26, 2017 edition of the Vermont Standard.
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