BATH – Grandmama Hilda Hardcastle, beloved family matriarch and church pianist, celebrated her long-awaited personal introduction to Jesus on Sept. 23, 2019.

Born in Dallas, Texas on March 15, 1936 to Howard and Lois Mote, she never shied from crediting her depression-era upbringing for all manners of resourcefulness and resilience in her daily life.

She revered knowledge – words of fact, prose, verse, lyric, and song in her mind outnumbered the stars in the heavens. (And she could recall every single one of them when needed.)

She and her husband, A., spent their early marriage in Dallas and raised five children, Hilary, Malone, Haley, Marnie, and Clemmie. After falling in love with the coast of Maine, they spent many years running the Grey Havens Inn as a family. Thousands of people from around the world enjoyed Hilda’s hospitality and song (pump organ, piano, or just singing all the time) while she was an innkeeper. For almost 30 years she blessed the Five Islands Baptist Church with her love of music. Many church members will remember her for her weekly lectures on the history of hymns, and many children will remember her steadfast will to keep beautiful bygone music alive.

Hilda’s children blessed her with a multitude of grandchildren who miss her beyond belief. Her brood of great-grandchildren will reap the reward from parents imparting their beloved grandmother’s unique tendencies in the kitchen, on the piano, over a cup of coffee, or sharing a book.

She is survived by her siblings, John, Barbara, and Skippy; five children; 17 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. We are comforted knowing that somewhere in heaven she is seated at a piano surrounded by many, all in song. “We will meet you on that beautiful shore…”

A Going Home Celebration for Hilda will be held on Oct. 9 at 3:30 at The Five Islands Baptist Church.

Condolences may be sent to Marnie Stevens, PO Box 353, Georgetown, Maine 04548

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to:

Five Islands

Baptist Church or:

Trump 2020

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