Lee Hargadon

BRUNSWICK – Lee J. Hargadon, a longtime Maine resident of Brunswick and South China, died peacefully on June 3, 2023. Lee will be lovingly remembered by her large family, to whom she was dedicated throughout her life. She was 91 years old.

Mary Lee Jones was born in New York, N.Y., on July 14, 1931, and raised in Wilmington, Del. She was the daughter of Barbara Jones Haskins and Wilmot Rufus Jones Jr., and sister to the late Wilmot Rufus Jones, III. They spent their summers together in the cottage her grandfather built in South China, Maine, in 1898. After attending Wilmington Friends School (with her father as headmaster), George School, Drexel University, and Katharine Gibbs College, Lee married her former husband, Bernard J. Hargadon Jr., in 1953.

With three children in tow, Lee and her family moved to Medellín, Colombia, where her younger three children were born during the decade that followed. While raising her family she opened her own language translation business, “Lee Limitada.” After moving to Wilton, Conn., and later to Walnut Creek, Calif., Lee settled in Maine in 1987, where she was warmly welcomed by the many people who would become among the most influential and supportive during her long life.

Lee was an avid traveler, photographer, and explorer. She traveled the world extensively with friends and family and was able to visit every continent, including Antarctica. Inspired by the impact these experiences had on her life, she encouraged and supported her grandchildren to travel, see the world, and expand their horizons.

It was in Africa where Lee discovered her talent for photography, but Maine was her muse. Her body of work became widely collected and exhibited in galleries, including at the State House in Augusta. Later she shared her photographs with friends on notecards, always favoring handwritten letters over email, with images that were reminders of the things and places that were important to her. Lee described her practice simply: “Often, less is more.”

Lee enjoyed the companionship of her beloved dogs over the years, as well as tracking birds that visited her well-stocked feeders. She cared about all creatures and supported a variety of animal and wildlife causes during her lifetime. She particularly cherished visits with friends at “Lake Hour” on the porch of The Leaning Elm – the cottage that remains in the family today because of her commitment to family and tradition. Above all, Lee believed it was “nice to be together.”

Lee is survived by four children, Geoff, his wife, Patricia La Valley, and their children Ashley Johnston and Stephanie Rogers; Bob, his wife, Tracy Kellum, and their children Mia Tankoos and Ellis Hargadon; Louise and her children Robert O’Neill and Lauren Moesel; David, his wife Suzi, and their children Courtney Button, Trevor, Joseph, and Michael Hargadon. She was predeceased by her two other children, Mary Lee (d. 1962) and Larry (d. 1982). Lee is also survived by five great-grandchildren who, while too young to know her well, will nevertheless feel the impact of her legacy throughout their lifetime.

A celebration of Lee Hargadon’s life will be announced.

Memories and condolences can be shared at http://www.brackettfh.com

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the China Lake Association.