She was born Nov 11, 1925 in Cumberland, Maine to Thomas N. & Alice M. (Romans) Brown.
Becky was the seventh of 10 children. After graduating from Greely High School in 1943 she worked at Western Union. On September 11, 1948 she married her husband of 50 years, Arnold C. Rideout. Before starting her family she worked at Standard Romper on Canco Road in Portland. Once the children arrived she was a stay at home mom selling Avon and working out of her home for James Bailey Co. who supplied the athletic uniforms for the local schools. She would cut out the numbers and letters and sew them on the uniforms and when it was really busy with multiple orders she enlisted the help of her children who would take on part of the job by tracing the numbers, cutting them out and pinning them on for her. In 1968, when the youngest of the 4 children was settled in school, she started working for the City of Portland as a baker for the school lunch program at Lyseth School. She continued working, in the Central Kitchen and finally at Deering High School, where she retired in June 2005, just before her 80th birthday.
She loved baking and on any given day you would see cookies or a pie on the kitchen counter cooling. At Christmas everyone waited for the needhams, sugar cookies or chocolate covered peanut butter balls. In the winter she enjoyed snowmobiling and in the summer, camping at Sebago Lake. Her love and skill of sewing lead numerous people to seek her out for alterations and repairs to many garments – as recently as January of this year.
Becky was predeceased by husband of 50 years, Arnold C. Rideout in 1999; grandson, Paul A. Rideout in 2011 and five brothers: Harry, Maurice, Thomas, Ralph and John Brown.
She was a lifelong member of 53 years at Stevens Avenue Congregational Church where her recipes were published each month in the church bulletin. When her husband became active in the Masons Becky became a member of the Deering Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.
She is survived by her son Gerald “Jerry” Rideout, and 3 daughters: Terry J. and her husband Peter Hand, of Greensboro, NC, Carol L. Cabral of Lake City, Pa, Susan L. and her husband Rev. David Dodge, of Raymond, seven grandchildren: Allyn M. and her husband Aaron Gant, Lisa and Julie Rideout, Shawn Ramsey, Caley and her husband Jeff Adams, Christy Cabral and Joshua Dodge, 6 great-grandchildren: Madison Gant, Ethan, Oliver, Emma and Ivy Adams, Myla Cabral and Joshua Dodge. Also survived by one brother, Howard Brown of California, and three sisters: Joan and her husband Lloyd Ranger, of Falmouth, Marion Meader of Bath and Virginia Rideout of Millinocket, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A time of visitation will be held Thursday, April 18th from 4 to 8pm at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St where at 6:30pm the Deering Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star will conduct a ritualistic service. Funeral service will be held Friday at 1PM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Brooklawn Memorial Park. The family would like to thank the staff at Cedar’s and Southern Maine Hospice for the outstanding care they provided.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Becky’s memory to the Stevens Avenue Congregational Church, 790 Stevens Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103.
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