SCARBOROUGH – Christine Zeller Dunleavy, 74, passed away on July 5, 2021, in Scarborough after a battle with bile duct cancer. Born on May 17, 1947, Christine was the second of six children for Irene Sampson Zeller from Newton, Mass., and George William Zeller from Patchogue, N.Y. She was born in Scarborough and moved with her family to Sayville, Long Island, N.Y. when she was eight. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a major in economics and subsequently worked on Wall Street for about 20 years. Taking full advantage of the restaurants, plays and museums, she loved her time in NYC. She also joined a gourmet club and pursued her love of photography.

She frequently traveled to Europe for her last Wall Street job. It was there that she and her partner John discovered that the paint on many of the doors seemed superior to that in the US. They researched and then started the paint import business Fine Paints of Europe in Woodstock, Vt. During this time, Christine studied colors and further developed her good eye for design.

Christine left the paint business after about 10 years to pursue a career in kitchen design for Crown Point Cabinetry in Claremont, N.H. She worked there about 10 years and retired in 2013.

After moving to Vermont, Christine adopted a Mastiff named Shamrock and quickly fell in love with the breed. Shamrock was the first, followed sequentially by Clover and then Piper.

She also took up drawing and painting and became an accomplished amateur water-painter.

Christine loved to travel and frequently toured Europe, with a special love for southern France and Italy. She spent a few weeks each year in Aruba with dear friends and enjoyed a few trips to St. Martin with her sister.

Christine left Vermont in 2019 to build a house in Eastern Village in Scarborough that she moved into in the late spring of 2020. Her diagnosis of cancer was made within a couple of months of moving to her beautiful new home.

Survivors include four devoted sisters Cheryl Cameron and husband Burns of Standish, Pamela Zeller and partner James Siler of Saco, Cynthia Hills and husband Jack of Los Alamos, N.M., Marilynn Zeller and husband Ned James of Ashfield, Mass.; two loving nieces, Erica Hills and Clara James, and a nephew Russell James; as well as many cherished friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Irene Zeller, her father, George Zeller; and her brother, William Zeller.

The family would like to express their appreciation for the kindness and care Christine received at New England Cancer Specialists, Maine Medical Center, Hospice of Southern Maine and the Dempsey Center.

A small, private burial took place in Lovell on July 8.

Arrangements are in the care of Wood Funeral Home, 9 Warren St., Fryeburg. Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with the family at: http://www.woodfuneralhome.org