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Elaine M. Mower

Date of Death: September 21, 2020

Date of Birth: February 24, 1940

Biography:

Elaine Margaret Brooks Mower of Brunswick Maine died peacefully on September 21, 2020 in the home of her daughter surrounded by love and family.  Elaine was pre-deceased by her husband, Richard Mower.  She is survived by her daughter: Brenda Mower-Teboe, her son:  Robert (Bob) Mower, grand-daughters: Chloe and Kyra Teboe and son-in-laws: Dana Teboe and Philip Hayes. She is also survived by a large extended family.

 Elaine was born on February 24, 1940 in Pittsfield Maine. She graduated from Maine Central Institute.  She was third eldest in a family of 14 children.  When Elaine was 13 years old,  the Brooks family had a brief moment of celebrity as the largest all girl family in the United States culminating in a trip to NYC with a guest appearance on the TV show “I’ve Got A Secret”. Life Magazine featured a photo of the 13 girls lined up on 5th Avenue in their Easter bonnets. 

After high school, Elaine worked as a clerk for Northeast Shoe before marrying her husband and helping him run the family dairy farm in St. Albans, Maine which included a maple syrup business and lumber mill.  Elaine and Richard were the backbone of Sunnydale Farms for more than 35 years and took great pride in keeping that farm looking meticulous.  Elaine did the book keeping, and helped out as needed with farm tasks such as haying.  There are some funny stories to be told about Elaine and her tractor driving. During maple syrup season, she and Richard could often be found in the sap- house late at night boiling down the sap to syrup and then Elaine spent countless hours bottling it up in her kitchen. After raising her own family Elaine assumed primary care for her father-in-law, Sidney, in his later years.  After Sidney died, with her children grown, Elaine took a job at Bud’s Shop N Save in Dexter Maine where she spent many happy years and made life- long friends who saw her through difficult times.  Elaine lived in Dexter for several years after Richard passed away.   She moved to Brunswick in 2003 to live near her daughter and her family, where she worked at Hannaford for several years.

Elaine did not need a higher education to open her mind. She lived by the mantra that we should accept people for who they are.  Integrity and decency mattered to Elaine.  She loved meeting new people and introducing them to Maine.  Elaine hosted many visitors over the years at the family camp on Big Indian Lake featuring lobster and clam bakes followed by home- made ice cream.  She made life-long friends who became close members of her family.    

Elaine had a great sense of humor – those who loved her knew that she loved a good practical joke.  Elaine also loved to dance – as regulars at the “Blue Goose” dance hall, she and Richard did a mean Jitterbug.   Elaine was involved in community organizations such as “Order of the Eastern Star”.  In 1971, this organization included her bio in a book titled “Outstanding Young Women of America”.

Widowed at a young age, Elaine embarked on some great travel adventures. At age 61, she biked 240 miles through the heart of the English Countryside.  She visited friends in Oklahoma, Arizona, Florida, and California. She sailed with close friends in the Virgin Islands.  Elaine visited her son in London where he took her on excursions to Stonehenge, Venice and Paris.  She vacationed regularly with her daughter’s family. She joined them on a trip to the Southwest visiting several National Parks including the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Bryce and Zion.  They took trips to Wisconsin, Niagara Falls, and Prince Edward Island.  She spent many winter vacations with them in South Florida and Key West.  In her later years, Elaine loved to read – she was never without a good book and she enjoyed “game days” with friends and neighbors.   

Elaine’s greatest passion was mothering.  As one of the older siblings in a family of 14, she learned early by mothering many of her siblings.  When she became a mother herself, she gave her children the childhood she never experienced.  She was always the Mom volunteering to help out and she never missed any events that her two children were a part of.  She loved Christmas and delighted in making it special for everyone with carefully thought out presents and overflowing Christmas stockings.  She specialized in baking paper thin powdered sugar cookies that melt in your mouth (which no one has been able to duplicate).   Elaine carried her passion into grand-mothering as well, as Chloe and Kyra’s special “Gram”.  Elaine was always happy to provide child care when needed and she never missed musical theater shows, soccer games, concerts, dance recitals, track meets and any other event that involved her two granddaughters.  In 2006, Elaine was baptized in a special three generation ceremony with her daughter and two granddaughters at First Parish Church in Brunswick.  

A strong and resilient person, Elaine was a survivor of a number of hardships that life threw at her.  She was thankful to be a nine-year survivor of cancer because she lived to see both of her special granddaughters grow up to be successful beautiful young women.  

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society. Per Elaine’s wishes, she will be cremated with a private “Celebration of Life” to be held at a later date.

Donations may be made at https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate.html

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