BATH — Mary Jean Ogden, 88, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2013, at HillHouse Assisted Living in Bath, Maine.

Mary Jean was born Jan. 20, 1925, in Rutland, Vt., the daughter of Merton and Helene Zorn Ogden. She earned a B.A. from Wells College in 1946, attended the Columbia University School of Social Work in 1949-1950 and earned an M.S.S.S. from Boston University School of Social Work in 1956.

Mary Jean worked for many years for the Vermont Department of Social Welfare and then the VA, taught at Boston University and Regis College and, finally, served as the chief social worker for the Newton, MA schools for 22 years. There she built an outstanding department serving the children of Newton and their families as well as training 23 future school social workers.

In 1966, while vacationing in Maine with a friend, they discovered Vinalhaven Island. After a whirlwind tour of the island, they soon found themselves the happy owners of a cottage known as Dyer Straits, their summer home for many years.

In 1992, Mary Jean moved to the Thornton Oaks Retirement Community in Brunswick with her friend and former colleague, Rachel Chaffey, where they resided until moving to HillHouse in 2006. She was pre-deceased by Rachel and also her brother Miles Ogden.

Mary Jean’s late years were filled with love and laughter thanks to her friends and the superb staff of HillHouse who formed a special bond with this sunny, gracious, kind, compassionate and witty woman who so appreciated their loving care. Truly a person of special gifts and accomplishments, Mary Jean will be greatly missed by her many friends.