PORTLAND – On Sunday evening, Oct. 25, 2020, Sheila Paine died peacefully at her home in Portland in the company of her beloveds, Judith Steinhauer and Lisa Foley.

Together with Judith, Lisa, and the extraordinary Hospice of Southern Maine team, Sheila was able to depart the way she had lived, quietly, on her own terms.

Sheila was born in Brookline, Mass. on May 2, 1927, the first daughter of Ellen P. (Eliot) and Richard C. Paine. Thanks to a timely visit from Ellery Sedgwick (Uncle Celery) Sheila was spared her mother’s name choice of “Peony” in favor of Sedgewick’s suggestion.

Sheila had many great pleasures in life including growing up at the Paine family home on Heath Street, attending the Park and Winsor schools, as well as Swarthmore and Goddard colleges. Always a keen, independent thinker, she relished her ten years living at the Pendle Hill Quaker Community in Wallingford, Pa. Inspired by her parents and many wonderful teachers, Sheila had a lifelong appreciation for learning, reading, books, and libraries.

Sheila and Judith began their 58 years together as devoted life companions

in Pipersville, Pa., eventually settling in Portland. They enjoyed gardening, spending time with their delightful nieces and nephews, and traveling. One special trip to Greece was planned in the Northeast Harbor Maine Library during the long winter months.

Far and away Sheila’s favorite place on earth was Moose Island Bar, the Paine family property in Seal Cove. For Sheila, it was idyllic from the start. Her treasured childhood memories included sleeping in the boat house, learning to tie knots and sail at her father’s side and eventually, with his help, designing her own home on the property.

Later in life Sheila met Lisa Foley and began their 24-year relationship. They spent most all of their summers at Moose Island and many winters together in Montecito, Calif. Some of their sweetest memories were of sharing a glass of wine in the small boat house adjacent to Sheila’s house. There was no finer place to be together and watch the sunset.

Sheila Paine was predeceased by her parents; and by her brothers, Walter C. Paine and Richard C. Paine Jr.

She is survived by her sweethearts, Judith Steinhauer of Portland and Lisa Foley of Montecito, Calif.; her sister, Sylvia P. Constable, brother, C. W. Eliot Paine and his wife Linda, sister-in-law, Barbara Moyer; and

numerous wonderful nieces, nephews; and grand-nieces and nephews.

Judith and Lisa would like to extend their gratitude for the loving care and

attentiveness given to Sheila by Dr. Roger Inhorn, Dr. Dustin Sulak, Dr. Alison

Gorman, and the extraordinary team at Hospice of Southern Maine. A

remembrance of Sheila’s life will be planned for the summer of 2021 on Mt. Desert Island.

Please make any gifts in Sheila’s memory to your local food

bank, homeless shelter, or rural library. That would truly delight her.