Bessie was the fifth of seven children born into the very large and close-knit Liarakos family. Both John and Stella immigrated to the U.S. from Greece and settled on Vale St. in Lewiston. The couple, along with their two sons and five daughters, were hard working, salt-of-the-earth people and upstanding members of a rapidly growing Greek community.
Bessie attended grade school in her hometown and graduated from Lewiston High in 1942. Some years later and after employment at a number of local businesses, she married the love of her life, Anthony D. Hildreth. Together they would relocate to 4th St. in New Auburn, purchasing the home where they would raise their two daughters.
A doting wife, mother and homemaker, Bessie was a legend in the kitchen and an extraordinary cook who greatly enjoyed preparing meals for both family and friends, especially during the holidays. For the many years leading up to her passing, she compiled an impressive library of cookbooks, but the ones that she consulted most often centered around old fashioned Greek cuisine.
Bessie was an active member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lewiston. Her flair for socializing and dealing with the public coupled with her incredible organizational skills placed her in high demand for coordinating most any affair. She happily served as chairwoman for the first of many Greek festivals, presiding over a variety of committees to assure that the event would go off without a hitch. She organized as well as baked for a number of pastry sales, worked at several church-sponsored bingo games and manned the booths at countless Great Falls Balloon Festivals. In addition, she was a longtime member of the Philoptochos Society, but one of the proudest moments of Bessie's life was when the church parishioners chose her to receive the Clergy-Laity award from the Diocese.
Bessie's unwavering faith and devotion to God played a monumental role in her life, but she saw to it that church activities were never prioritized before the needs of her family. Case in point, she was a most devoted and attentive caregiver to her husband in their home for nearly nine years as he battled Alzheimer's. When Tony's disease progressed to an unmanageable stage, he was admitted to the Maine Veterans' Home in South Paris, where she visited with him several times a week for over two years until his passing in November of 2014. Their dedication to one another for more than 66 years gave their daughters and grandchildren a benchmark of love and commitment to strive for.
Bessie was truly the heart and soul of her family and a remarkable woman around which every gathering and get-together revolved. Her passing will leave an immeasurable void in the hearts of everyone whose lives she touched. She will be sadly missed by her daughter Sharon, who along with husband Steve Bryant provided her with a safe and loving home for the last five years, and by her daughter Marcia Hildreth and life partner Linda LaDouceur, who acted as secondary caregivers. She was cherished by her grandchildren: Tony, Becky & Mandy Murphy, their respective spouses: Sarah Murphy, Marcus Slade & Trevor Crippen and her great-grandchildren: James, Tighe & Tucker Murphy, Cierra & Markie Slade and Fiona Bess Crippen. Bessie also leaves behind three sisters: Tonie Ramsey, Joanne Liaros & Stella Kontrafouris, two sisters-in-law: Helen Liarakos & Millie Van Ham and many many cherished and much loved nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by brother Steve Liarakos & wife Bev, brother Chuck Liarakos & his first wife Artie, sister Anna & husband Danny LaRocca, sister Cecile & husband Joe D'Amour, in-laws Nat & Eddie Spiller, in-laws Gloria & Dana Drew and brothers-in-law Pete Ramsey, Sherm Smith, Harry Liaros, Bob Van Ham and Winfield Hildreth.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to either the Maine Veterans' Home in South Paris or to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lewiston. Bessie's family would like to thank Dr. Riley Cooperfrom the CMMC Emergency Dept. and the staff on the R2 stroke unit at Maine Med. for their exceptional care. Also, we will forever and a day be indebted to literally everyone at the MVH in South Paris for making Bessie's final journey a comfortable, pain-free and peaceful one. The outpouring of love and kindness shown to her and to our family during those five difficult days did not go unnoticed and will never ever be forgotten.
A service celebrating Bessie's life will be held on Saturday, July 28, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on 155 Hogan Rd. in Lewiston at 12:00. Visitation will take place at that same location one hour prior to the service for anyone ishing to extend their condolences. Refreshments will be served downstairs in the church hall immediately following the ceremony. Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery in Auburn will be at 2:30.
