Virginia J. Bean

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Virginia J. Bean

NORWAY — Virginia “Ginny” J. Bean, 91, a resident of Norway, died peacefully at Stephens Memorial Hospital on Thursday, May 31, 2012. She was born on May 14, 1921, in Norway, the daughter of Doris E. Bennett and Howard F. Jewell and step-daughter of Harley L. Bennett. She graduated from Paris High School in 1939.

On May 27, 1943 she married Ashley R. Bean in Valdosta, GA, where Ashley was enlisted in the Army Air Corp. Following a brief honeymoon, Ashley was deployed to England to fly B-17 bomber runs over Germany. Mrs. Bean moved back to South Paris to live with her mother and step-father. Her husband was a POW for 17 months and during that time, she gave birth to their first daughter, Brenda. After his return from the service, they moved to South Paris and together raised three daughters and one son.

Mrs. Bean was a homemaker for several years while her children were growing up. When her last child started first grade in 1964, she went to work at the South Paris Savings Bank in Market Square, which eventually became Maine Savings, beginning a 21-year career in banking. She began as a teller and worked her way up to branch assistant. She retired from the bank on July 1, 1985.

After her retirement, she and her husband sold their house in South Paris to spend winters in Ft. Myers, FL and summers at their cottage on Norway Lake. Several years after her husband died, she sold her place in FL and bought a home in the Town & Country Mobile Home Park in Norway where she spent her winters and continued to summer at the lake. In 2006 she went to live with her oldest daughter Brenda where she continued to live until her death.

She loved the ocean and would spend as much time at the beach as she could. She also loved to golf and over the years was a member at both Paris Hill Country Club and Norway Country Club. Her favorite place was at “camp” where she did lots of entertaining for family and friends. She was also a member of the First Congregational Church of South Paris.

Mrs. Bean is survived by her children and spouses, one son, Robert Bean and his wife Patsy of Grande Isle, VT and three daughters, Brenda Richardson and her husband Robert of Norway, Debbie Shureb and her husband Ron of Dade City, FL and Norway and Barb Bishop and her husband Carl of Hebron; 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Ashley in 1991 and her brother, Robert Jewell in 2011.

Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 8 at Oxford Hills and Weston Funeral Services, 1037 Main St., Route 26, Oxford. A memorial service will be held immediately following visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Bean's memory to Responsible Pet Care, 132 Waterford Rd, Route 118, PO Box 82, Norway, ME 04268. On-line condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com.