GEORGETOWN, ME — Born on October 3, 1918 in Pennington, New Jersey Mary Lydia Rembe was the daughter of John Henry Hankinson and Marjorie (Frost) Hankinson. The family operated a small farm and peach orchid in Pennington. Mary had fond memories of packing up the fruit truck and going “to market” with her father and siblings. She is preceded by her two brothers John Henry and Samuel Frost and a sister Margaret Walker.

Mary moved to the Hill- House in North Bath in June 2011. She died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by friends and the caring staff of the HillHouse on January 30, 2013.

Mary attended Central High School of Pennington where she graduated in 1936. She attended college and earned a nursing degree with a minor in Art. Following graduation she trained at Trenton Mercer Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey. In 1942 she married Joseph Rembe who died within a year of their marriage. In 1947 she married his brother Jack Wood Rembe. Jack died in November 2007.

Jack worked in the textile industry where he was a salesman for Cole Spring Bleachery and the Rodney Hunt Company of Orange, Massachusetts. He worked in international sales and they travelled the world extensively. They made many friends along the way including the family of the textile manufacturer Mascioni USA, ltd of Varese, Italy. Mary and Jack became part of this family and hosted the Mascioni’s; their children and then their children at their homes in Massachusetts and Maine. They travelled to Italy in 2002 for the wedding of the Mr. Mascioni’s son.

Back in the states in Orange they took an interest in skydiving and became active in the community of this growing sport. They lived across the street from the airport and helped organize international skydiving events there, with participants from over 27 countries.

Mary and Jack first visited Georgetown in the late 1940’s while vacationing on McMahan Island with the Marshall Cole family. They continued to vacation on Georgetown Island renting various residences throughout the years. In 1969 they built their home in Robinhood on the Knubble Road. Jack and Mary loved to be on the water where they first purchased a Murray Peterson schooner, and later a Ray Hunt design speed boat built by Robinhood Marina christened ‘Little John’.

Mary was an avid painter finding inspiration in the places she travelled and in her beloved backyard of Robinhood. She was a member of the Georgetown Book Club and the Georgetown Working League. She was a loving friend and neighbor. She had an infectious smile and never had a bad word to say about anyone. She cared for her ailing husband Jack with extraordinary devotion.

Mary is survived by many nieces and nephews of the Hankinson family including Rick and Margie of Piedmont, South Carolina; John and Gail of St Augustine, Florida; John “Tugger” and Dixie Walker of Fairfax, Virginia; and their children. She also leaves a niece Holly Groach of Rohnert Park, California.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held in the spring. Contributions in memory of Mary can be made to the Georgetown Working League, PO Box 262, Georgetown, ME 04548, or the Georgetown Fire Department at PO Box 199.