Avis de décès de Charlene-Louise Allen - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

GREAT CRANBERRY ISLAND - Charlene Louise (Bunker) Allen passed away Thursday evening, July 29, 2010, at home. She was surrounded by her grandson, Patrick Allen of Great Cranberry; her sons, Gary Allen of Great Cranberry and Larry Allen of New York City; and her companion, John French, as she slipped away peacefully. Charlene was the youngest of five siblings; she was born Aug. 7, 1929, on the island, to Elisha and Annie Bunker. Her brother, Edgar Bunker, was killed in the Korean War. Her sister, Ada Rice, passed away in 2000. Her older sisters, Pauline Bunker and Leona MacAllister live on Great Cranberry and in Ellsworth, respectively. Charlene was a direct descendent, 11 generations removed, of the first settler of Great Cranberry Island, Benjamin Bunker, who first came to the island in 1760 when the governor of Massachusetts deeded the island to him. She attended Longfellow School on the island. She was born, lived and died on property that has been in the family for 250 years. Charlene loved to dance. She loved the island life. She was the life of the party and often the last to leave any gathering on the island or for that matter in New York City. She was a self-taught landscape and folk artist. She worked for many years as a docent for the Museum of the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society at Cranberry House. Far-flung visitors to the island were often lucky to be regaled with colorful stories of the island from her lifelong experiences. She generally could be found any morning before 8 a.m. at Cranberry General with her sister, Pauline and her friends having coffee, where she is remembered to have said one could easily get "a pound of butter and everything you need to know." Charlene will undoubtedly be missed by the few remaining year-round residents of her island home, the longtime summer residents, many casual acquaintances, her sisters, sons, nieces, nephews; and her grandchildren, Patrick and Matilda of Great Cranberry, Emma Atherton of New York City and Jennifer Allen of North Carolina. A memorial service and celebration of Charlene's life will be held 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at Congregational Church of Great Cranberry Island. After the service there will be a reception, dance and swimming off the town dock throughout the afternoon and evening. All are welcome and invited to do as Charlene would have always done and just get up and dance. She will be interred with her parents, sister and brother at the family cemetery on the island. The family requests that generous donations be made in her memory to Ladies Aide Society of Great Cranberry Island and The Great Cranberry Island Historical Society, Cranberry Isles, ME 04625, instead of flowers, which although lovely, wouldn't do as much good. Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mount Desert. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.