Sally Pease

A Closer Look –  A memorial service for Sara “Sally” Ann (Sjulander) Pease is set for 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at Bar Mills Community Church, 13 Hermit Thrush Drive, Buxton. The service follows visitation 1-2 p.m.

BUXTON —The community is joining family and friends in mourning the death of Sara “Sally” Ann (Sjulander) Pease, who died last week when her snowmobile collided with a motor vehicle.

The accident, about 3:10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, on Rankin Road, remains under investigation by Buxton Police Department.

“It’s an unfortunate accident,” Buxton Police Chief Troy Cline said Tuesday.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department is reconstructing the crash that closed the road.

Pease was pronounced dead at the scene. “She wasn’t wearing a helmet,” Cline said.

Brenda Brown, deputy town clerk, said Pease’s family is well-known and called Pease’s death “shocking.”

“Everyone is saying how sad it is,” Brown said from town hall Tuesday.

Pease, 54, leaves her husband, Sanford Pease; their two children; and her parents. She died five days before her birthday. She was born to Nils and Judith Sjulander on Feb. 22, 1962.

Her family is associated with the Bar Mills Community Church. The Rev. Malcolm Hall, church pastor, said Wednesday, “Sara was a very caring person.”

Hall described her as collected, poised and competent. “I never saw her flustered,” he said. “She did more than touch lives.”

She worked for her family’s business Eagle Industries, Inc., in Hollis, her obituary said.

Pease graduated from Bonny Eagle High School in 1980 where she played field hockey. Her obituary said she is a graduate of Fisher College in Boston.

A lifelong friend, Judy (Reitze) Peverada of Portland, said Monday she grew up with Pease as neighbors across the street from another in Buxton. They rode bicycles and went sliding on toboggans together as  youngsters.

She remembered Pease as smart and a lot of fun. “We were childhood friends,” Peverada said and described the loss of Pease as “a hard one to deal with.”

Pease’s obituary said she enjoyed traveling, music, cooking and sports. “She was endlessly generous with how she would volunteer for anything to help anyone out,” her obituary said.

She helped care for Peverada’s father in his elder years. “She was wonderful to my father,” Peverada said.

Cline said the accident that claimed Pease’s life occurred on a curve and a hill in the area of 297 Rankin Road. Cline believes that Pease was blinded by the sun and he said the man driving the motor vehicle tried to avoid the accident.

A spokesperson at Buxton Dispatch Tuesday identified the driver as Frank Lewis of Buxton, who was driving a Nissan SUV.

Responding to a call from Buxton Police Department, two wardens from the Maine Warden Service assisted at the scene.

Robert Lowell can be reached at 854-2577 or rlowell@keepmecurrent.com

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