Working at the Town Office and music were two of Dorothy Farrell’s greatest passions, and she combined them by being on the planning committee for the town’s 2016 bicentennial celebration.

Farrell, who died unexpectedly Oct. 10, will be missed for her many contributions as town clerk, secretary to the Board of Selectmen and member of the planning committee for the town’s 2016 bicentennial celebration, but also for her music and her kindness, those who knew her said Tuesday.

Dorothy Farrell, Moscow town clerk, died unexpectedly Oct. 10, and, among other things, was a talented musician. “This is a band picture showing her doing what she loved the most,” her partner, Wilf Clark, said. Contributed photo by Wilf Clark

Farrell, 63, had been town clerk for about five years, said First Selectman Donald Beane. The board has appointed Lise Smith to serve until March, when an election will be held, Beane said.

He said the town was shocked to hear Farrell had died, although he said she had not been feeling well in recent weeks and had medical tests done recently.

“She loved working at the Town Office, doing the bookkeeping, and she was very efficient with the election process,” Beane said. “Everything always ran smoothly with her in charge.”

In addition to her work as a town clerk and secretary, Farrell was on the planning committee for the town’s bicentennial celebration, helping to organize music events for the January celebration.

“She will be missed,” Beane said. “Everyone loved her so because she was so kind to everyone.”

Farrell’s mother, Sarah Betty Walker, 83, of Pleasant Ridge Plantation, said music and working at the Town Office were two of her daughter’s greatest passions.

Walker said that her daughter’s death was a “terrible shock” to the family, although she had recently had horrible coughing spells that Walker said were caused by smoking.

Farrell is survived by seven brothers and sisters, two children, five grandchildren and a companion of 14 years, Wilf Clark, also of Moscow. Walker had 13 children, seven of whom are still living. Farrell’s obituary appeared in the Morning Sentinel last week.

Farrell grew up in the Pleasant Ridge, Bingham and Moscow area and graduated from Upper Kennebec Valley Memorial High School in Bingham in 1969. She worked for a number of businesses, including Thompson’s and Mariah’s restaurants, Northern Outdoors and the Bingham Laundromat.

Her mother said Dorothy, who was also known as Dotty, was an award-winning bass player and enjoyed playing music and going to gigs with Clark. She played in the Cabin Country Band, the Diamond Ranch Hands, Shilo Creek and the Misty Mountaineers, as well as White Mountain Bluegrass of New Hampshire, according to her obituary.

She and Clark “would travel all around and stay different places, like go to Canada for a week or two and play their music,” Walker said.

She said Farrell was staying with a friend in Gardiner on Oct. 9, the day before she was supposed to attend her nephew’s wedding in Portland. She did not wake up the morning of Oct. 10.

“I feel it’s a peace for all of us to know she didn’t suffer,” Walker said. “She was in so many businesses. She was so smart. She could do everything. She cleaned. She built homes. She papered walls for people’s homes in Bingham. I can’t even give her the recognition she deserves.”

A service of remembrance will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Valley High School in Bingham.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm

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