Obituary of Bertye Jean Haywood

BERTYE JEAN (McDOWELL) HAYWOOD, 77 of East Vassalboro and Augusta, departed this world on June 17, 2009 to embark on her ultimate climb, knowing her beloved Robert awaits her arrival at the summit. Bertye was born on August 4, 1931 in Alexandria, VA, the youngest child and only daughter of Neil and Beulah McDowell. The family relocated to East Vassalboro when Bertye was a young teen, and Bertye remained a resident there her entire life. She graduated from Cony High School in 1949. She was employed over the years at both Nicholson & Ryan Jewelers and Day’s Jewelers and ultimately retired from Scott Paper Company in the late 1980s after a 20-year career. Bertye was an avid nature lover and a definite “go-to” person if you had questions about birds, bats, bugs or plants. She loved sharing her knowledge with others, particularly with her grandchildren. She was extremely proud to achieve lifetime member status of the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Appalachian Trail Club, the Jocelyn Botanical Society and the Nature Conservancy. Bertye was a staunch supporter of Maine Public TV and due to her love of the arts, a regular patron and supporter of the Theater at Monmouth. She was an active committee member at the Vassalboro Public Library and served as a Girl Scout leader for several years in the 1960s. Bertye also sang with the Kennebelles for many years. Among her varied interests, Bertye was also an artist and loved to work with watercolors. She spent many happy hours in her retirement attending workshops and trying to perfect her technique. She also loved to cross country ski and hike and spent countless hours climbing the mountains of Maine. One of her proudest accomplishments was skiing Tuckerman’s Ravine. She was also well-known for her culinary expertise and her love of sharing it with others. In addition to her parents, Bertye is predeceased by her brother, Neal McDowell Jr., her sister-in-law, Lola McDowell, a granddaughter, Amber Mitchell and her soul mate, Dr. Robert Lovejoy. Bertye will leave a huge void in the lives of her family. She is survived by her son, Lee Haywood and his wife, Dawn of East Vassalboro and her daughter, Drew Mitchell of Madison. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Goldie Mansir of Fayetteville, PA, Scott Haywood of Benton, Holly Haywood-Scandore and her husband Nicholas of Winslow and Mica Mitchell of Warren. She is survived by eight great grandchildren, Joshua Kalmey, Kearie, Dannan, Malakye and Calista Sites, all of Fayetteville; Sierra and Morgan Haywood of Benton and Liam Scandore of Winslow. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews and numerous close friends. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff of Augusta Rehabilitation Center and Beacon Hospice for the wonderful care that Bertye received. At Bertye’s request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Vassalboro Public Library, Bog Road, East Vassalboro, ME. On-line condolences may be placed at www.directcremationofmaine.com.