WATERVILLE – Marie Janet Benner died in Waterville on Oct. 2, 2019 at the age of 93. A Waterville resident for more than 50 years, Marie was well known in the community as the children’s librarian at the Waterville Public Library for 29 years. She was also active with the Zonta Club, Inner Wheel, the Waterville First Baptist Church, Arbor Church, and was an avid supporter of local theater.

Marie was born in Cambridge, Mass. on August 16, 1926 and was the daughter of Isaiah Burgess Pineo and Jean Mabel (Williams) Pineo. She grew up primarily in the Mattapan and Hyde Park sections of Boston. A gifted student, she skipped fifth grade and was fluent in French by the time she finished high school. She was graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1943, Boston University in 1947, and received a degree in Library Science from Simmons College in 1948.

She began working at the Boston Public Library while still in high school, put herself through Boston University and Simmons, and had a career as a librarian that lasted more than 60 years. She also worked as a children’s librarian in East Cleveland and Cleveland in the 1960s; at the Waterville Junior High School in the 1970s; at the Winthrop public schools in the 1970s; and finally at the Waterville Public Library from 1976-2005, where she retired at age 79.

Marie met Blair Benner in April 1952 while they were both working at the Boston Public Library. During their first date, he predicted that they would get engaged within a week, and she laughed at him. Well, it happened! They married six weeks later in June 1952.

Marie cared passionately about children and made the Children’s Room at the Waterville Public Library a welcoming, fun, and nurturing environment. The Children’s Room bustled with activity, particularly on Saturday mornings due to the story hour that featured a puppet show, a short movie, storytelling, and occasionally live music. She adapted numerous children’s books into puppet shows, and during her tenure the story hour frequently attracted large audiences that overflowed the room. Arguably her favorite puppet show was The Reluctant Dragon from the classic children’s book by Kenneth Grahame. The puppet shows were full of action with Marie and the puppeteers hamming it up to the hilt. She held ice cream and cupcake socials for the children at least twice annually and sometimes baked over 200 cupcakes for these events. She was also known for her gold, sparkling shoes. During the 1980s, the Children’s Room regularly circulated more books than the rest of the library combined.

Marie was a master storyteller who visited many nursery schools and elementary school classrooms to introduce children to books and libraries. As a result, she knew most of the elementary school teachers in the Waterville area and had a pronounced effect on the education of thousands of local children.

Marie was deeply committed to her garden, which had spectacular blooms of daffodils, tulips, forsythia, azaleas, hosta, pansies, and cosmos every year. She loved to travel and visited Europe numerous times starting in her early 20s. She also traveled regularly to visit relatives and friends across the country and in Canada.

She is survived by her daughter, Dorcas Benner Riley of Mt. Vernon, daughter, Tabitha Benner and her husband, David Schoonover of Kihei, Hawaii, son, Lance Benner and his partner, Kathi Ellsworth of Altadena, Calif.; granddaughter, Avanelle Riley Piercy and her husband, Jay Piercy of Freeport; grandson, Mitchell Riley of Wellesley, Mass.; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, the Rev. Dr. Blair M. Benner, in 1982.

A public Celebration of Life event will be held at the Waterville First Baptist Church on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 10 a.m.

Arrangements are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop. Memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared on the obituary page at www.familyfirstfh.com

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Waterville Public Library.

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