Elaine Marie Spiller

STANDISH – A true Force of Nature: Family “General” and former First Lady of Westbrook, Elaine Marie Spiller, 81, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 2, 2022 with son, Philip Jr., and companion, Roy Newell, by her side.

Born in Monmouth on Nov. 24, 1940, the daughter of Clifford and Marie (Holt) English, Elaine attended Portland public schools and graduated from Deering High in 1959. As her mother was a professional organist/ choir director at Woodford’s Congregational Church, Elaine’s early years were shaped by many Bible classes and countless church/ school choirs, bands, orchestras, and performances. She was one of only two auditioning musicians to make the Deering Varsity Band her freshman year, selected as All-State First Chair her senior year, and was even offered a full scholarship to the Hart College of Music in Connecticut from her prowess on the French Horn.

In addition to her religious and musical interests, Elaine also played many sports and was a self-admitted tomboy: field hockey, basketball, and softball which she lettered in at Deering thus joining the “D” Club. She joined the Nu Phi Mu junior sorority, the “Deering Slick Chicks,” and even appeared on the Dave Aster Show with Deering classmates. Her love for Deering High never waned throughout life – as she would loudly erupt in the “Be Loyal to the Purple – Be Loyal to the White!” fight song anytime Deering was mentioned in conversation.

Graduating from Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Pennsylvania in 1963, Elaine taught English 5th grade in New York until returning to Maine in 1967, when she moved in with her parents on Sebago Lake and began teaching 5th grade at the Hall School in Portland. Her school summers consisted of washing dishes by hand and waitressing at Pine Grove Farm and Cabins in Raymond from 1957-59; then as Waterfront instructor/Camp Trip Leader the next seven summers teaching swimming, life-saving, boating, canoeing, sailing, and waterskiing at Camp Pinecrest for Girls in Naples after obtaining many certificates from Red Cross Instruction Camp.

Attending summer/night schools, Elaine received a Master of Science degree in Education from USM in 1969. That same year she married U.S. Army Colonel Philip D. Spiller of Westbrook at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland after meeting him in her parent’s living room and going out on just two dates!

Elaine moved in with Phil at his home in Westbrook and continued teaching until daughter Jane arrived in 1971, followed by Philip Jr. in 1973. In 1976, they moved to what she always fondly called “the farm” – a 10-acre Westbrook estate on the Windham line with an adjoining 100 acres the family has set aside as the future “Spiller Family Preserve.” There, Elaine loved being a “stay-at-home Mom,” parent-volunteering in many organizations for school, sports, and music – even becoming a softball coach at the Westbrook Rec Department. She often joked she should have had more kids with her immense enjoyment supporting her children’s activities, which continued throughout their years at Syracuse (Jane) and Cornell (Philip) Universities.

Elaine’s early exposure to church from her mother led to her lifelong love of Pride’s Corner Congregational Church, raising children Jane and Philip there, chairing the Church Fair, and writing the church newsletter called “The Mouse” for 10 years. With a love of fundraising, she served as Music Committee Chair and was instrumental in obtaining a new organ and piano for the church. She was also representative to the United Church of Christ Annual Conference and served as Church Communicator.

Most importantly however, Elaine loved working alongside husband Phil (and children) on the famous Prides Corner monthly bean suppers and annual Chicken Pie Supper which still continue to this day.

In the ’80s, Elaine worked several holiday seasons for L.L.Bean at the Portland call center, and later full-time in customer service until retirement in 2002. She was on the first “Internet teams” at L.L.Bean, which would take calls from customers needing help in the first days of ordering merchandise “online.”

Elaine treasured her 36-year marriage to husband Phil, and especially enjoyed being “First lady of Westbrook” when Phil was elected Mayor of Westbrook in 1983. Although unappreciative of politics in general, she always supported Phil – writing many of his speeches and ensuring all his political activities and events went smoothly. She even served a 20-person sit-down dinner at their Westbrook home in April 1989 during the first Greater Portland / Archangel Russia Sister-City delegation visit – which her son later re-created at the same house during a 25th-anniversary commemoration after his own trip to Archangel re-tracing his father’s footsteps. Elaine was immensely proud to support her son’s own bid for Westbrook Mayor in 2019, and his many efforts to continue his father’s legacy in building and strengthening the Westbrook community through organizations like Discover Downtown Westbrook which her son helped launch.

For hobbies, Elaine especially loved gardening and the hustle and bustle of “the farm” – with its huge family vegetable and dozens of chickens/ roosters, a goat, pigs, a dog, and five cats providing plenty of entertainment and education. She and Phil loved traveling too – making three trips to Puerto Rico (one a church mission), the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and began wintering in Florida the last several years of Phil’s life. Following his passing in 2005, Elaine established the Mayor Philip D. Spiller Scholarship at Westbrook High School for any senior planning to enter his University of Maine alma mater and majoring in STEM – which her son still administers to this day. She wintered a few more years in Florida, taking Bible classes and singing in the choir at St. Gregory’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Boca Raton. While she could, she enjoyed and maximized the travel perks from son, Philip, whom had become a Captain at JetBlue after retiring a U.S. Navy Pilot and Commander.

After moving back to Maine full-time due to her Wegener’s Disease and selling the family Westbrook estate to son, Philip, Elaine finally fully “retired” to her parent’s retirement home on Sebago Lake in 2009: the same place where she met her husband in 1969 and where she would eventually peacefully pass away. She remained active on committees at Pride’s Corner Church, Westbrook Woman’s Club, the Standish Burke Road Association, and senior college classes at USM – even conducting the USM senior college chorus for two semesters using skills from her Conducting Class 101 class at Beaver College from 50 years earlier! Elaine spent her last 15-plus years of her life hosting family and friends, viewing the White Mountains, swimming, boating, fishing, and riding her jet-skis. Unbelievably, she had purchased another jet ski just three weeks before her passing. Elaine always felt best being on – or in – the water, and wanted others to feel the same!

In addition to enrichment from family and friends, Elaine was especially appreciative after her husband’s passing of her close friendship with Roy Newell, who lived with her and provided great companionship.

Remaining active and engaged in the community also sustained Elaine’s lifelong passion for positive living: always learning, teaching, and living in the moment. Her son always lovingly joked that although Dad was the Mayor and Colonel, mother Elaine was truly the General. “Try to live each day to the fullest!” was her motto, which became more difficult near the end of her life when self-sufficiency began slipping away and she became increasingly thankful of the trips daughter Jane would make from Arizona to help care for her.

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Jane Waypa, husband Mark and their three children, Catherine, Rebecca, and Elizabeth of Phoenix, Ariz.; son, Philip D. Spiller Jr. and his partner Brooke Skillings of Westbrook; and her companion, Roy C. Newell.

A Service of Life Celebration will be held 12 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15 at Pride’s Corner Congregational Church, 235 Pride St., Westbrook, followed by a luncheon downstairs from 1 to 3 p.m. in Friendship Hall. Interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Westbrook in June.

To express condolences or to participate in Elaine’s online tribute please visit http://www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts are encouraged to

Pride’s Corner Congregational Church

235 Pride St.,

Westbrook, ME 04092,

the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust at

https://www.prlt.org/donate-now, or

Discover Downtown Westbrook,

P.O. Box 269,

Westbrook, ME 04098.