WINNIFRED RINES CROCKER
Winnifred Rines Crocker, 87, passed away September 20, 2008, at a local hospital. She was born in Athens on November 8, 1920, a daughter of Amos and Beatrice (Trueworthy) Rines.

She graduated from Somerset Academy in 1937 and continued her education at Farmington Normal School, graduating in 1940. She then married the love of her life, E. Carl Crocker. It was wartime and they moved to Newport RI where Carl worked in the manufacturing of torpedoes throughout the war. It was during those years their children were born. After returning to Maine, she began her professional life as an educator. She taught school in Lincoln and later in Dexter. After receiving her MEd from the University of Maine in counseling, she worked as a guidance counselor at Garland Street School in Bangor, Nokomis High School in Newport and Bangor High School, retiring in 1981. She and Carl then enjoyed many winters in Florida.

She was a faithful and dearly loved member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter for over 50 years where she served as a deaconess, a Sunday School teacher, a member and president of the Elizabeth Towle Guild and in many other capacities including the Macedonian Ministries to other churches. As a member of the American Baptist Women she was a featured speaker at many of their events through the years.

Freddy was a 50-year member of the teaching sorority, Delta Kappa Gamma, Alpha Chapter in Bangor. Her community work included the Sunshine Club, Dexter Literary Club, Dexter Grange and a member, as well as president of the Dexter Public Health Assoc. for many years. She was known as an entertaining public speaker in the area communities.

She is fondly remembered as being devoted to her family and her faith, her kind hospitality to all, her sense of humor, her positive outlook, her love of current politics, and her joy in gardening and nature. As a teacher and friend, she encouraged those she met.

She is survived by her son, Barry Crocker and his wife Ruth of Hampden; and her daughter, Shirley Grant of Dexter. Her grandchildren include Matthew Grant and his wife Kathleen of Dover-Foxcroft and their daughters, Abigail, Maygan, and Emelia; Kelly Crocker Fish and her husband Kevin of Hampden and their daughters Courtney and Cassidy; Amy Grant Thurlow and her husband Chad of Newburgh and their children Chloe and Ben; Cory Crocker and his wife Yuko of Gray and their children Kylie and Kelsey; and Sara Grant Martinelli and her husband Joshua of Simsbury, CT. She is also survived by her sister, Janet Rines of Dexter as well as several loving members of Carl’s family and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband E. Carl Crocker in 1995. She was also predeceased by her brothers Gordon, Philip and Waldo Rines and her sister Maxine Lothrop. Her son-in-law William Grant passed away in 2006.

Visiting hours will be held Monday at the Crosby Neal Funeral Home in Dexter from 4- 6:30 p.m. Her funeral service will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m.at the Dexter First Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First Baptist Church – Children’s Summer Camp Fund, 5 Main Street Hill, Dexter or the Sunshine Club, c/o Nancy Baldwin, 59 Acadia Street, Dexter. .