Mabel Muriel Dunsmore

October 5, 1919 – May 2, 2022

Mabel “Auntie” Dunsmore (Densmore) MMD-Gracefully and ever so peaceful joined Her Lord and Savior on Monday, May 2, 2022 while surrounded by loved ones. Where she lived a beautiful 102 years.

Born Sunday, October 5, 1919, in Princeton, Maine to Georgia (nee Carlton) and Ernest C. Densmore. Mabel & her three brothers, Arnold Henry and Gordon grew up in Princeton on their family farm surrounded by other family farms in a very rural Maine. She worked the farm as everyone one did. Hard work was no stranger to Mabel. She attended a one room schoolhouse for every year of her education and graduated from Princeton High School in 1937. She left Princeton the day she graduated High school and moved to Plainville New Jersey with her aunt and uncle The Rev. Bernard and Olive Hinman. When Mabel left the farm she was to study in New Jersey and enter the nursing program but due to a schedule conflict, that was not to be. She then chose to take on the position of a Nanny for a family. In Plainville, New Jersey. She then went on to further her education and love of the Lord at Elim Bible College and The Zion Institute. Wherever Mabel went she never doubted the Lord and knew where he was sending her and she gladly accepted the Lord’s work. After Graduating from her studies in bible college in New Jersey she started as an operator at Bell Telephone Company started on a hand crank and worked her way up to switchboards with 100+ lines and eventually moved back to her beloved State of Maine her way further up and into the finance department for 35 years. She was very successful throughout her many years of devoted service to New England Telephone Company she also spent 9 years working in the finance department at Mitchell and Braun Porteous.

Mabel spent some time living in Plainville, NJ, but Maine would always be her beloved home. She bought her first home In Portland on Inverness Street. Then bought her dream home On Greenwood Lane. Mabel was a wonderful role model for many young women during a time when woman didn’t have many choices. But Auntie Always said, “I have Jesus and I make more money than most of the men I’ve known so why would I ever need to marry.” Everything she ever had or needed in life she supplied. She was confident, smart and has the love of God and she knew exactly what she wanted in life.

Mabel loved the four seasons of Maine. Her favorite hobbies included going to the beach. She loved to swim far out, then to swim back and jump waves. She loved a big’ol giant wave to jump and dive into! She loved to swim but never liked to get her head wet and she almost never did! She was known to always turn the heat on in the summer to warm up her car for her nieces where they would run, blue lipped and shivering, and jump into her big beautiful Buick after many a brisk swims in the Sea.

Although she also loved ice skating, tobogganing, walking and praising the Lord, Mabel’s heart was always full of her love of God. She was a devote attendant of the Assembly of God church on Cumberland Ave in Portland, Maine, which she began attending in 1945. Her late Uncle & Aunt, Rev. Bernard & Olive Hinman, became the pastors of the congregation for many years after taking over the congregation after Rev. Hicks. And the church had been in service now for over a 100 years!

She raised her Great Nieces In the church as well as many other family members and local children. She was head of the Sunday school services, was one of the great adult Sunday school teachers, that one student mentioned, “that when in Sister Mabel’s class we were all professors of the lord.” And served on the board for many years, Sister Mabel wore many Hats at The Assembly of God Church on Cumberland Ave. She always encouraged others to take part in church and inviting someone to church and always offering a ride. If you wanted to go, she made it happen! Ever charitable and hard-working Mabel was very involved with the church, charity and her community. She was a member of many groups, clubs and organizations. She was a member of the Gospel Crusaders, (invited by Forrest Barters sister) which led into the Birthday Girls, which met monthly to celebrate each other’s birthday and did so for over 70 years.

She was a member and twice the president of the New England Pioneers, once President of the Bayside Neighborhood (where she represented her church) in Portland and a member of the Christian Business and Professional Women association. Attended and served on the board at the Word of Life Camp-New York State, and was a representative for the Assembly of God Cumberland Ave.

Along with her love of charitable service, church & community. Mabel was a lover of music having taken organ lessons for many years, she loved to take her Great Nieces to The Magic of Christmas at what is now Merrill auditorium. She loved the Portland symphony Orchestra and the antique pipe organ. She eagerly learned to play though she never quite made it to Liberace status in her own mind but to her Great Nieces she was a legend!! She meant the Whole World to her two Great niece’s, April & Melissa who were with her every weekend and a few of her friends helped her out including Anita Birmingham, Mae Rowe, Carol Farrow and Miss. Thelma Jewett Johnson. Mabel was always their most important and most special “Auntie” the 3 were extremely close and remained that way until the end. Mabel was an essential part in all of her Brothers Children and their children’s lives. Not only did she help raise April & Melissa, but she also helped raise all of her nieces and nephews and even some of their friends too. She was known to most as, “Auntie” or Sister Mabel.

Mabel Dunsmore was a gracious hostess who loved spending time with friends’ family and her fellow church Brothers and Sisters and loved to share the word of God. She often liked to prepare and enjoy dinners with her many family members and cherished friends.

She was always up to serve some good food and the good word! She believed no matter what that Jesus Christ had the answers and with the love of Jesus Christ anything is possible. All one had to do was ask Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior, surrender your life to the lord and he will walk with you for the rest of your days and thereafter. His love is everlasting and know that we are in the lords’ hands and in his embrace and through Christ Anything is possible. That Gods words truth. It is because her belief in Jesus Christ that she was able to share so much with so many for such a very long time. She was one special person to so many people. Sister Mabel was one with a great sense of humor always loved to play games and sing songs and put on skits. She was one of a kind and is sadly missed.

She is survived by her Great-Niece- & devoted Caregiver April Marie Barter of Portland Maine, a Great- Niece Melissa A Barter- Gatewood and her husband Mr Darnell L. Gatewood II & their daughters her great-grand-nieces, GiaVahna Ryan & Bianca Noelle Gatewood of Saint Augustine, Florida among a Host of 30 other many Nieces and Nephews, Great, Grand & Great Great Grand. She was the last living female matriarch of The Densmore Family from the Guilded age. She was so many things to this world and now she watches over us as the Angel she truly is.

She is Predeceased by her parents Georgia Densmore (nee Carlton) and Ernest C Densmore, her brother Arnold F Densmore, Bruce Densmore(deceased), Stanley Densmore , Buzzy (Stanley) Kandi, Kylie, Henry F Densmore, M. Louise, John, James, Paul, Eric Shawn, Robert (Katrina & Corey), Laura (Dwayne), Mandi, Heather , Myra (Brent), Josh, Lucas, Trent, Gordon D Densmore, Ellen (Gordon)Booker, David (Maryjo), Nicole, Brian, Chrissy Densmore, Ann Marie Densmore-Ray, April,Melissa ,Megan,Kaitlin, Matthew Jr., John(Susan), Joseph( Karla), Gabe, Evelyn Densmore, Phillip (Christina), Phil jr( Korby), Caroline, Cooper, Izzy & William Densmore, James (Gina), James Jr(Megan), Kyle Densmore, Edward Densmore.

The family wishes to extend a very special thank you to Joelle Gliddens for the love and care, Northern Lights Hospice and “Team Mabel” Cheryl, Erica, Matt, Louis and Allison.

Visiting for Mabel Dunsmore will be Friday, May 13, 2022, 1:30pm at Jones, Rich and Barnes followed at 2:30pm with a service officiated by Pastor Mamanu Abraham. Committal Service to immediately follow at Blanchard Cemetery Winn Road in Falmouth, ME. Pallbearers will be Brent Lucas and Trent McNally, Corey Tibbetts, Philip and Joseph Densmore. Those not attending the committal service may stay for a reception that the family will attend after.

At the request of Mabel the men are to wear white button up shirts where a tie is optional, and the women are to wear something Mabel-esque, some animal print, a little sparkle in your hair, a fun hat, something lavender or come in your Sunday Best! Auntie loved to shine and dress to the 9’s so please be ready to celebrate the way Auntie would at the reception.

Donations in Mabel’s name can be made to her beloved Assembly of God Cumberland Ave Portland Maine or to her Caregiver.

To sum up her life in a few words “Thank-you Jesus” “God is Good” and

“Gods Words truth”.