Shasta Lee Dickson Beane

GARDINER – Shasta Lee Dickson Beane, 76, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025, at Glenridge Long Term Care in Augusta, Maine. She was born on March 23, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Leslie Arthur Dickinson Sr. and Dorothy Morse Dickinson of Patten, Maine.

Shasta grew up in Shin Pond and Patten, where her parents owned and operated the local Rexall drug store. She graduated from Patten Academy in 1966 and completed a bachelor’s degree in education from Boston University in 1970. Later, she earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from the University of Maine in 1995 and worked as a speech-language pathologist until her retirement in 2012. Over the years, she also served as a teacher, worked as a congressional staffer, and provided customer service in the airline industry.

Shasta’s faith was at the core of her life. No matter where she lived—Nyack, NY; Washington, D.C.; St. Paul, MN; or her home state of Maine—she remained an active member of the United Methodist Church. In Augusta, she found a spiritual home at Green Street United Methodist Church, where she served as a lay leader, led a prayer group, and helped establish the Garden Give-Away program to provide fresh produce to the community. Her commitment to service extended beyond her local community, as she participated in numerous mission trips to New Orleans, West Virginia, and beyond. In her later years, she was a beloved member of Christ Church Episcopal in Gardiner and the Peaceful Heart (Buddhist) Sangha in Augusta.

Shasta had a love of travel, fishing, poetry, and literature. A wordsmith at heart, she was a formidable Scrabble opponent and delighted in puns. She had many friends and was deeply admired by those who knew and loved her. She loved being a mom to two girls who will always remember her as beautiful, resilient, and kind with a great laugh, and an extraordinary capacity for joy even amid life’s ups and downs.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother, Leslie Arthur Dickinson Jr. (1945–1968). She is survived by her devoted spouse, Johnnie Beane of Gardiner, with whom she shared a life filled with love and deep connection, and by her two daughters, Anna Elmshauser of Augusta and Maria Cabaniss (Shawn Cabaniss) of San Antonio, Texas.

Her family wishes to thank the many people who cared for Shasta at Glenridge in her last two years, and her Christ Church family who managed arrangements for her service and for their care and support over the last several years. A memorial service was held at Christ Church Episcopal in Gardiner on Saturday, February 15. Arrangements and guidance are under the direction of the Staples Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 53 Brunswick Ave, Gardiner, ME. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family by visiting the Staples Funeral Home website http://www.StaplesFuneralHome.com
If desired, please make a donation to the animal care and support organization of your choice, or to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House via [email protected].