Obituary of Dorothy Webb Quimby

Dorothy (Dot) Dunlap (Webb) Quimby, age 91, finished the final chapter of her life well-lived on April 5, 2021, at Woodlands Senior Living in Waterville. Dot was born on September 1, 1929 in Portland, Maine, to Philip Raymond and Genevieve (Dunlap) Webb. She and her family moved to Ocean Park, Maine, in 1937, where Dot attended Old Orchard Beach High School and graduated Valedictorian of the class of 1947. She went on to graduate Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Bates College, where she served as class secretary from 1953 until her death. After college, she and some of her classmates travelled through Europe for a few months. When she returned home, she married her college sweetheart, Lawrence H. Quimby. They lived in Newcastle with their first son Peter, while Larry taught at Lincoln Academy. In 1956, they moved to Unity, where they welcomed their second son Richard. Larry taught at Unity High School and eventually at Mt View High School. Mr. Quimby passed away in 1989. Dot received her Master’s in Library Sciences from the University of Maine in 1967. She served as Unity College’s first Librarian from 1965 to her retirement in 2001 as Professor Emeritus. Her proudest moment in her career was when the Library at Unity College was named the “Dorothy Webb Quimby Library” in her honor. Dot was a faculty adviser to hundreds of Unity students over her career and became known affectionately as the “Mother of the Alumni”. She edited the College alumni newsletter for many years as her way to keep in touch with “her kids” and she always enjoyed handing out seedling trees to graduates. Dot was very active in community affairs. Over the years she served as town treasurer, on the Unity Budget committee, as Chairman of the Unity Scholarship Committee, as an active member of the Unity Historical Society, and a member of Unity United Church, where she sang in the choir for many years. Dot served on the Board of Future RSU 3. She also enjoyed being a part of the “The Noel Club”, “The Walkie Talkie’s”, “The Unity College Old Retireds”, “The Breakfast Bunch”, and the Unity United Church’s Methodist Women’s Group. Dot is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Peter L. and Pegi (Langeluttig) Quimby of Unity, her son Richard W. Quimby of Montville, and her sister Marilyn Marshall (Webb) Mayhew of Orrville, Ohio. She is also survived by her five grandchildren: Michael Rumney of Knox and Aurora Rumney of Belfast; Kaitlin and her husband Zachary St Jean of Sabattus; Samantha Quimby, and her partner Steven Clark of Dixmont; and Elizabeth Quimby of Biddeford, as well as seven great-grandchildren: Eliana, Olivia, Charlotte, Madison, Michael, Morganne and Atlas. She is also survived by her nephew, George Philip Mayhew of Orrville, OH, and two nieces, Dana (Mayhew) Garner of Simpsonville, KY, and Jennifer (Mayhew) Carlson of Parker, CO. Dot’s family wishes to thank the staff at Woodlands Senior Living and especially the nurses from Maine General Hospice in Waterville for giving Mom “The best care she has ever had.” Visiting hours will be on Saturday, April 24th , 2021, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Star In The West Masonic Hall, 327 Main Street, Unity, Maine. A Celebration of Dot’s life will begin at 4:00 pm with Pastor Don Banton officiating. Face masks will be required, and hand sanitizer will be available. At Dot’s request, her burial service will be private. Arrangements are through Riposta Funeral Home in Belfast, Maine. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Unity United Church, Depot Street, Unity in Dot’s memory.