Dot was born in Bath, Maine, the first daughter of Harry and Carrie (Christopher) White on March 14, 1920.
She went to Morse High School and graduated in 1938 and continued on to Farmington Normal School graduating with a Teacher’s Degree. She taught school for 4 months and then married Earl Maines in Westbrook, Maine on January 10, 1942.
She had two daughters, Carolee in 1943, and Sandra Jane in 1945, both born in Bath, Maine. In 1948 they moved from Bath to Pride’s Corner in Westbrook, Maine, and stayed there until 1968 when they built a beautiful home on Sebago Lake in North Windham, Maine.
She loved to dance and would go to “Lakehurst” with her best friend, Barbara Nickerson Bailey, and enjoyed summer weeks with a New York cousin Barbara, at “Hamloaf”, an island off Harpswell, Maine.
Dot was a wonderful wife and “stay-at-home” mother, and enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren’s events. She volunteered at the Church Library, was a member of the Junior Guild, and was an assistant scout -leader. She loved to cook, bake cookies with the children, knit, rake the beach and played the piano right up until her death. She would enjoy having the families at the Lake on most weekends where everybody had fun swimming, water skiing; in the winter, skating, sledding and skimobiling. She and Earl joined square dancing which they enjoyed for many years. They began to travel from Maine to California to Washington State to visit their daughter, Carolee, and family in 1968. Many times to New Jersey and Massachusetts to visit Sandra and her family.
Earl died in 2008 and Dot sold her home in Sebago, and came to Bath to live with her sister, Beverly Henrikson, until 2015, and then moved to Kirkwood Corners in Lee, NH, to live near her daughter and granddaughter. The home at Kirkwood Corners was wonderful for her, having activities and tours and she was happy there (playing the piano for everybody).
Dot’s family and friends were the most important in her life. She had so many wonderful lifelong friends due to her happy personality.
Dot was predeceased by her husband Earl Maines, her daughter Carolee Van Valkenburgh, her brotherin law, Henry Henrikson.
Surviving is her daughter, Sandra Larson (Philip) of Durham, NH, Son-in-law Jim Van Valkenburg of Richmond, Maine; her 6 grandchildren, Shelley Magiera (Dan), Jaymie Van Valkenburgh (Garrett Andritz), James E. Van Valkenburgh (Vichitta), and Corinne George (Bill), Philip Larson, III (Kristina), Eric Larson (Laura) – 9 great grandchildren; a special and only sister, Bev Henrikson of Bath, Maine., Sister-in-law Joanne Brown of Standish, Maine.
Several close nieces and nephews.
A special thanks to all the nurses and staff at Kirkwood Corners for the wonderful care given to Dorothy for the past 2 years.
A family remembrance will be held in the spring in Maine.
Arrangements by Purdy Funeral Home, Lee, NH.
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