GEORGETOWN — Constance Morin Donovan, a generous neighbor and gracious hostess with a gift for mothering her own children and others, died at home Thursday July 19, 2018. She was 97.

Born in Bath, Mrs. Donovan left Maine after her marriage to William Donovan in 1941. They eventually settled in West Hartford, Connecticut, where they raised five children.

But Mrs. Donovan returned to Maine every summer, and as soon as her youngest had finished high school in 1980, she moved to a house next to Georgetown’s Sagadahoc Bay, a place she had loved since childhood.

Mrs. Donovan was born in 1921 to Dr. Harry Morin and Gladys (Grange). Her father was a surgeon at Bath Memorial Hospital who also made house calls in the area, sometimes on a horse-drawn sleigh, and delivered many babies. His pay, especially during the Great Depression, often came in the form of things like fresh eggs, a homemade desk or the family’s Saturday night baked beans.

Mrs. Donovan lost her mother to cancer at the age of 13.

She attended Bath schools, and graduated from Oak Grove School in 1939. She attended Russell Sage College.

She is predeceased by her oldest son, Harry Donovan.

She is survived by her children Thomas Donovan of Georgetown, Robert Donovan of Embden, Kathleen (Kaja) Donovan of Georgetown and Gail Donovan Kesich of Portland, as well as her grandchildren Jesse Donovan of Waterville, Emma Donovan of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Lydia- Rose Kesich of Portland and Zora Kesich of San Francisco.

After Mrs. Donovan moved back to Maine in 1980, she showed her genuine interest in other people by getting involved in the island community. She volunteered at the Laura E. Richards Library, worked on the first Georgetown Comprehensive Plan Committee and was a dedicated member of the Georgetown Working League. With that group she helped sew the annual quilt and spent many summer days “sitting with the quilt” at the Five Islands wharf, selling raffle tickets. She also helped with the Working League’s annual fair that raises money for local causes.

Her style of hospitality was not showy, but it was elegant and refined. Everything from the pictures on the walls to the food on the plates was chosen with care and taste, often brightened with flowers from her unruly garden.

A voracious reader since childhood, when she checked out stacks of books from the Patten Free Library, she continued to read widely, particularly novels and history.

The door to her home on Indian Point was always open to old friends and new, as well as her children, her children’s children and all of their friends and relations. No matter who visited, she made them feel at home.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations in her memory may be sent to the Georgetown Working League, PO Box 262, Georgetown, ME 04548.