Margaret "Maggie" Bridges Karnes

PORTLAND - Margaret Elizabeth (Bridges) Karnes, 92, of Portland, passed away Saturday, October 3, 2015, at the Freeport Nursing & Rehabilitation Center after a long illness. She was married to the late Hilmon “Joe” L. Karnes for 61 years.

Maggie was born in Portland on October 26, 1922 to Ahira and Theresa (McConnell) Bridges. She grew up in the Nason’s corner neighborhood of Portland where she attended Deering High School, graduating in 1941. After marrying Joe on April 17, 1942, the couple moved to Falmouth where they lived for several years. Maggie and Joe spent their early married life racing stock cars at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, where Maggie drove in the Powder Puff Derby.

Maggie worked for many years at Loring, Short & Harmon and then as a secretary to the Principal at Falmouth Middle School, but she was first and foremost a homemaker – baking cookies and car-pooling her children from ballet to baseball games. Friday nights were dedicated to bowling, where her league took home many trophies. She was also an avid golfer and both her and her husband were long-time members of the Freeport Country Club, winning several local and state-wide tournaments. Maggie also enjoyed crossword puzzles and playing cribbage and Yahtzee with family and friends.

Maggie was recognized with Portland’s Civic Recognition Award for her acts of compassion and kindness. She always gave of herself, and truly felt that was her purpose in life, whether nursing a sick relative, volunteering at school functions, or raising funds for any given cause through bake sales, pancake breakfasts, bean suppers, craft fairs, and rummage sales. Her most recent endeavor was knitting hats for the nursing home gift shop. She was a Charter member of the Women of the Moose, South Portland Chapter #1310. Maggie was also a member of the Glenwood Square Baptist Church, where she taught bible study and continued her humanitarian causes.

Maggie is survived by her daughter Kathy J. Wolf of Boynton Beach, Florida; her son Kevin M. Karnes and his wife Susan of Durham, Maine; her grandchildren: Sherri M. Lemon, Jaime A. Jimino, Kelly M. Karnes, Jessica M. Ross, Morgan M. Karnes, and Bailey J. Karnes; five great-grandchildren: Victoria, Joshua, Jake, Olivia, and Calliope, along with several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at 10:00 AM on Friday October 9, 2015 at Lindquist Funeral Home, One Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth, ME 04096. A reception will follow at the funeral home with burial in Calvary Cemetery, 1461 Broadway, South Portland, ME at 12:30 PM. Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view a video collage of Maggie’s life and to share condolences, memories and tributes with her family.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the staff at Freeport Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Southern Maine Hospice for their support and care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Animal Refuge League, PO Box 336, Westbrook, ME 04098.