Phyllis Soper Wardwell

BUCKSPORT

Phyllis Soper Wardwell, 99, passed away on July 26, 2020, at Jed Prouty Assisted Living in Bucksport. She was born on Feb. 28, 1921, the daughter of Mildred Page Soper and Herbert M. Soper. She graduated from Walter Gardner High School in Bucksport in 1939 and worked for many years at the Buck Memorial Library in Bucksport and for 17 years as a librarian at the Bucksport High School, retiring in 1986. She was active in 4-H, an active member and secretary of the Duck Cove Community Club for over 50 years, and an active member and secretary of the Duck Cove Group of the MEHC. She had a lifelong love of horses and was a founding member of the once very active River Ridge Riders Riding Club. She loved the outdoors, reading, crafts, camping, crossword puzzles and especially the years of walking with the neighborhood group called the “Wacky Walkers.” The Walkers collected thousands of dollars of cans and bottles on their area-wide walks in support of the Little Yellow Schoolhouse of Duck Cove.

She is survived by her daughter, Donna Wilson; son, Jeffrey Wardwell and fiancé, Laurie Robertson; son, Joel Wardwell and his wife, Jan; five grandchildren, Gregory Wilson and his wife Leslie, Gary Wilson and his wife Robin, Kelly Craig and her husband Tim, all of Bucksport, Todd Wardwell and his wife Joanne of Glenolden, Pa., and Jennifer Wardwell and her wife Sandra Sanford of Yarmouth; two step-grandchildren, Tracey Renfro and husband David and Staci Findley, all of Richmond, Mo.; 13 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. Also, a special “daughter,” Helen Wardwell.

A very special 99^th birthday was observed with nearly all these descendants in attendance on February 29; a very proud time for her and special family time.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband of 60 years, Donald K. Wardwell in 2003; her son, Eric Michael Wardwell, who died in Vietnam in 1967; and a son-in-law, Wilbur Wilson, who died in 1999.

A special gathering will be held at her residence at 131 Russell Hill Road, Bucksport, on Sunday Aug. 2 at 1 p.m. Donations in her memory may be made to the Duck Cove Community Club for the continued upkeep of the Little Yellow Schoolhouse, as she has requested, at Duck Cove Community Club, C/O Peter Fairbanks, P.O. Box 158, Bucksport, ME 04416.

Arrangements are under the care of Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home, Bucksport. (mitchelltweedie-young.com)