Helen Stearns Oliver

AUGUSTA – Helen Stearns Oliver, 98 died peacefully on Sept. 17, 2021 after a long and fruitful life.

She was born in Dedham, Mass., on Nov. 19, 1922 to Charles and Edythe (Pratt) Stearns. She attended Dedham schools and graduated from Dracut High School, Massachusetts in 1940. She received a B.S. in education from Lowell Teachers College in Massachusetts in 1944. She taught school in Santa Monica, Calif., Waterbury, Conn. and Massachusetts.

Helen and James Chadwick Oliver, Sr. were married in Chicago on Oct., 1, 1943 during WWII.

They raised five children in Chelmsford, Mass., Kingston, N.H. and Manchester before retiring to their summer residence on Cobbossee Lake.

After her husband died, Helen lived in an attached apartment with her youngest son and family and then resided at the Inn at City Hall in Augusta where she had many friends.

Helen was an avid reader and when her eyes failed she listened to many books through the State Library’s program Books on Tape. Her family and friends looked forward to receiving a pair of her wonderful hand knitted socks. She loved to garden and grew both vegetables and flowers. Helen was also known for her cooking and delivered many loaves of bread to lots of folks.

Helen was a spiritual being and belonged to a number of churches throughout her life. She was a friend to many and was always there as a good listener. She was known for her humor and often had friends and family in stitches over her stories.

She was predeceased by her husband, James Chadwick Oliver, Sr.; her brother, Richard Stearns, her sister, Phyllis S. Crane, her four stepbrothers, Thomas, Howard, Roger and Richard Oliver and stepsister, Alice Burpee; and her grandson, Aaron Shadrach Wingate.

She is survived by her five children, James Chadwick Oliver, Jr. and his wife Meredith, Wendy O. Wingate, Jeffrey C. Oliver and his wife Anita, Edythe E. Wasdin and her husband Estes, and Roger B. Oliver and his wife Rhonda; her grandchildren Neall Oliver, Hurley Oliver and her fiancé Andres Lopez, F. Paine Wingate and his wife Becca, Darren Knowles and his wife Heather, Morgan Cote and her husband Peter, Jimmy Oliver and his wife Heather, and Justin Oliver and his partner Nicole Hodgkiss; her great-grandchildren, Graham and Kellen Howell, Nolan, Max and Maisie Wingate, Kadence and Liam Allarie, Emma and Camren Knowles, and Urijah, Savairah, and Isaiah Oliver; sister-in-law, Betsy Stearns; and many nieces and nephews.

Our family would like to thank the Glenridge comfort care hospice unit and all its very caring nurses, doctor and staff. Also the hospice team that made Helen’s last day’s peaceful.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery Committal Shelter, Civic Center Drive, Augusta.

Arrangements are in the are of Roberts Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop where memories and condolences may be shared with the family at http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers please send donations for books in memory of Helen to the

Hubbard Free Library

115 2nd St,

Hallowell, ME 04347, or

Lithgow Library

45 Winthrop St.,

Augusta, ME 04330