Marilyn Burpee Adkins
Orono, Maine — It is with a heavy heart that the family of Marilyn Ruth “Lyn” Burpee Adkins announces her passing Sept. 7, 2020.
Lyn was born July 19, 1944, in Bangor, Maine, the daughter of Frederick T. and
Ruth A. (Virgie) Burpee. She graduated from Orono High School, Class of 1962 and went on to Farmington Teachers College, now the University of Maine Farmington, graduating in 1966. Always wanting to be a kindergarten teacher, she began her career in Stonington where she taught for two years, followed by a move to Santa Ana, Calif., and six years of teaching there before moving back to New England and Waterford where she guided her beloved kindergartners for 28 more years, before retirement.
Lyn met and fell in love with Randall “Randy” Adkins in Waterford, and they married appropriately enough Feb. 14, 1986. What followed was 34 years of a happy and loving relationship.
After retirement they took up residence in Orono, Maine, from where they traveled the country and created wonderful memories visiting friends and relatives in places such as Arizona, New Mexico and Mississippi. They vacationed with special friends on Marco Island and Sanibel Island in Florida.
Fond of stating, “My friends are my estate,” she had so many friends, friends from high school, friends from college, friends from each of the schools at which she taught and from places in which she lived. She made new friends wherever she went, and she loved them all.
Being a prolific note and card writer, very few birthdays or anniversaries ever went unnoticed by Lyn.
She was a lifetime member of the Church of Universal Fellowship in Orono, Maine and was an enthusiastic worker for and member of several civic organizations, including the Orono — Old Town Kiwanis Club where she had been awarded the Kiwanian of the Year Award for 2020, the Orono Historical Society as well as the Orono Thrift Shop. After her fathers’ passing, she along with Randy and brother Todd, proudly continued to support the Orono High School Sportsmanship Award. This annual award, created by her father Fred in 1948, presents an athletic “O” sweater to the Orono High School junior class athlete who, as chosen by the coaches, most projects the character value of good sportsmanship.
Lyn’s later years were spent enjoying warm winter months in Vero Beach, Fla., but her heart was always up north at camp. Come spring, she and Randy would return to Maine to spend those long, seemingly endless summers of balsam and pine, sunsets and loon song at their camp on Pushaw Lake, which she proudly noted, was built by her dad when he was still a teen in 1936.
Lyn is survived by her husband Randy and his sons, Joseph and Michael Adkins of Mississippi; grandsons, Jacob and Seth Adkins of Mississippi; sister Bette Ann Gibbs of Berwick, Maine; brother Todd Burpee and his wife Denise of Orono, Maine; niece Rory Burpee and partner Ian Chase of Orono, Maine; nephews, Benjamin Burpee and his wife Johanna Cairns of Portland, Maine, Richmond Gibbs and his wife Jenn, and Scott Gibbs and his wife Amy of New Hampshire; and many much loved cousins.
In acknowledgment of and concern surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, a private graveside service will be held.
The family would like to express their appreciation for the superb and compassionate care Lyn received at the hands of Northern Light Home Care and Hospice of Bangor, with a special heartfelt thank you to Janice, Donna and Rebecca for their warmth and comfort given in a difficult time.
In preference to flowers, friends may consider a memorial donation to Northern Light Home care and Hospice of 885 Union St., Suite 220, Bangor, ME 04401 or to their local Northern Light Home Care & Hospice.
Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.