Obituary for Betty D Maker
Betty Davis Maker, 84, passed away peacefully on June 18, 2022, at Down East Community Hospital with her family at her side. The daughter of Arnold Davis and Doris Fletcher Davis, she was born on April 11, 1938, at her grandparent’s farmhouse in Palmyra, Maine.
Betty lived in several places in Maine during her childhood, including Palmyra, Jefferson, and Bradley, before moving to Jonesboro at the age of ten to live with relatives as a result of her mother’s illness. At the age of 14, she moved to Lubec to live with Evelyn and Frank Bennet, and to care for their children, while she attended Lubec high school.
During her senior year in high school, her car broke down on the highway, and a handsome young man named Ken Maker stopped to help her. That was a fortuitous moment as one thing led to another, and they fell in love and were married shortly after she graduated from high school. Soon after, they moved to Lewiston while Ken attended barber school, and where they began their family. In 1958, they moved back to Jonesboro and into the family home where they resided for the rest of their lives.
Upon returning to Jonesboro, while raising four young children, Betty attended the University of Maine at Machias, graduating at the top of her class with a degree in education. Her first job was in Jacksonville, teaching grades 5-8 in a single classroom. She went on to teach grades 7-8 in Jonesboro, and for the last several years of her career was the biology teacher at Machias High School. During this time, she also earned a master’s degree from UMO.
After retiring from teaching, Betty started Blueberry Bliss, a gourmet blueberry products business, which she successfully ran for more than 20 years, with customers all over the country. In addition, for 46 years, Betty and Ken also operated Sunkhaze Campground in the field behind their home.
Betty loved spending time with family and inspired and hosted many family parties. She frequently commented that her family “would have a party for almost any reason.” She was well-known and appreciated for her delicious baking skills, creating a perennial debate over whether her blueberry pie or apple pie was the best. She found great satisfaction tending her beautiful gardens, exploring the wonders of nature, and reading by the fireplace. She also spent many evenings umpiring the Red Sox games from her living room chair.
She was also very active in the Jonesboro community, serving several years as tax assessor and helping spearhead the Jonesboro Bicentennial Celebration. Betty was a dedicated member of the Jonesboro Union Church and served several years as its moderator. In recognition of her many contributions to the church, it recently dedicated its revised constitution to her.
Betty was pre-deceased by her husband of 65 years, Ken, and by her sisters-in-law, Jean Ackley and Myrna Davis. She is survived by her children Kimberley Roberts of West Kennebec; Scott and wife, Andrea, of North Yarmouth; Douglas and wife, Tara, of Naples; Julie Crema and husband, Michael, of Litchfield, NH; and Belinda Haines of Huber Heights, OH. Betty loved and was very proud of her thirteen grandchildren, Austin, Isaiah, and Leah Roberts; Elena Maker Castro, Clay, Liam, and Caroline Maker; Sam and Elliot Maker and Abigail Lydick Maker; and Sydney, Olivia, and Jonah Crema; and her five great-grandchildren, Lincoln and Archer Roberts; Elizabeth Roberts; Theodore Lydick; and Oscar Castro. She is also survived by her brother Arnold Davis Jr and his wife, Noni, and her brothers-in-law Leslie Ackley, Jay (and Vicki) Maker and Marvin (and Joann) Maker, as well as several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 11am on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at the Jonesboro Union Church, 24 Looks Point Road, Jonesboro, ME, with a lunch reception immediately following at the Jonesboro Community Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Jonesboro Union Church, P.O. Box 64, Jonesboro, ME 04648, or the Ark Animal Shelter, 60 Barber Lane, Cherryfield, ME 04622. Condolences and memories may be shared at mcclurefamilyfuneral.com.
Betty lived in several places in Maine during her childhood, including Palmyra, Jefferson, and Bradley, before moving to Jonesboro at the age of ten to live with relatives as a result of her mother’s illness. At the age of 14, she moved to Lubec to live with Evelyn and Frank Bennet, and to care for their children, while she attended Lubec high school.
During her senior year in high school, her car broke down on the highway, and a handsome young man named Ken Maker stopped to help her. That was a fortuitous moment as one thing led to another, and they fell in love and were married shortly after she graduated from high school. Soon after, they moved to Lewiston while Ken attended barber school, and where they began their family. In 1958, they moved back to Jonesboro and into the family home where they resided for the rest of their lives.
Upon returning to Jonesboro, while raising four young children, Betty attended the University of Maine at Machias, graduating at the top of her class with a degree in education. Her first job was in Jacksonville, teaching grades 5-8 in a single classroom. She went on to teach grades 7-8 in Jonesboro, and for the last several years of her career was the biology teacher at Machias High School. During this time, she also earned a master’s degree from UMO.
After retiring from teaching, Betty started Blueberry Bliss, a gourmet blueberry products business, which she successfully ran for more than 20 years, with customers all over the country. In addition, for 46 years, Betty and Ken also operated Sunkhaze Campground in the field behind their home.
Betty loved spending time with family and inspired and hosted many family parties. She frequently commented that her family “would have a party for almost any reason.” She was well-known and appreciated for her delicious baking skills, creating a perennial debate over whether her blueberry pie or apple pie was the best. She found great satisfaction tending her beautiful gardens, exploring the wonders of nature, and reading by the fireplace. She also spent many evenings umpiring the Red Sox games from her living room chair.
She was also very active in the Jonesboro community, serving several years as tax assessor and helping spearhead the Jonesboro Bicentennial Celebration. Betty was a dedicated member of the Jonesboro Union Church and served several years as its moderator. In recognition of her many contributions to the church, it recently dedicated its revised constitution to her.
Betty was pre-deceased by her husband of 65 years, Ken, and by her sisters-in-law, Jean Ackley and Myrna Davis. She is survived by her children Kimberley Roberts of West Kennebec; Scott and wife, Andrea, of North Yarmouth; Douglas and wife, Tara, of Naples; Julie Crema and husband, Michael, of Litchfield, NH; and Belinda Haines of Huber Heights, OH. Betty loved and was very proud of her thirteen grandchildren, Austin, Isaiah, and Leah Roberts; Elena Maker Castro, Clay, Liam, and Caroline Maker; Sam and Elliot Maker and Abigail Lydick Maker; and Sydney, Olivia, and Jonah Crema; and her five great-grandchildren, Lincoln and Archer Roberts; Elizabeth Roberts; Theodore Lydick; and Oscar Castro. She is also survived by her brother Arnold Davis Jr and his wife, Noni, and her brothers-in-law Leslie Ackley, Jay (and Vicki) Maker and Marvin (and Joann) Maker, as well as several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 11am on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at the Jonesboro Union Church, 24 Looks Point Road, Jonesboro, ME, with a lunch reception immediately following at the Jonesboro Community Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Jonesboro Union Church, P.O. Box 64, Jonesboro, ME 04648, or the Ark Animal Shelter, 60 Barber Lane, Cherryfield, ME 04622. Condolences and memories may be shared at mcclurefamilyfuneral.com.