Mary Louise (Thomas) Sprague

CAPE ELIZABETH – Mary Louise Thomas Sprague, of Cape Elizabeth, died on Aug. 12, 2025.

Born in Portland on May 3, 1928, she was the daughter of Widgery and Zella Bridge Thomas and a proud descendant of George Cleeve, founder of Portland. Mary Lou attended The McLellan School, Waynflete School and Bryn Mawr College.

She married her true love, Phineas Sprague, in 1948, and they spent 70 happy and productive years together. They lived in Cambridge, Mass. and Columbus, Ohio before settling in Providence, R.I., where they raised their six children. On their return to Maine in 1971, Mary Lou and Phin lived at Prouts Neck until moving in 1997 to Spurwink Farm in Cape Elizabeth.

With wisdom, boundless positive energy and a sense of humor, Mary Lou devoted her life to family, friends and community. Being in her orbit was a gift to young and old. Summers were spent in Maine enjoying tennis, golf, swimming, and sailing. The Prouts Neck house became known as “Camp Chaos” where “Mother Dear” as head counselor readily adopted all her children’s friends. Beginning in the 1950s when Phin helped found Sugarloaf Mountain, winter weekends and vacations were spent at Wee Farm in Kingfield where friends and family all piled in. An avid skier, Mary Lou placed third in the women’s division of the inaugural Sugarloaf Schuss. Equally adept with a fly rod and shotgun, she turned a graceful figure on the ice.

At Spurwink Farm, Phin and Mary Lou developed a working farm with a horse boarding operation, Belted Galloways, Black-Faced Sheep, and lots of hens. There, she enjoyed driving her pair of Morgan horses and sharing the beauty with her many friends until the end of her life. Mary Lou also championed the annual EAA Chapter 141 Spurwink Farm Fly-In and the Maine Carriage Association Carriage Days.

Her passions always included historic preservation, art and architecture. In Rhode Island, she served on several boards, including the Red Bridge Council of Republican Women, the Providence Historic District Commission and the Providence Preservation Society. Upon returning to Maine, Mary Lou joined the National Society of Colonial Dames of America for whom she served as Chair of the Tate House Committee, and she was the force behind founding the Tate House Museum in 2005. From 1999 to 2004 she led the Dames’ National Museum Accreditation Program for their 80 properties across the United States. As president and de facto executive director from 1974 to 1976, Mary Lou played a pivotal role in Greater Portland Landmark’s early growth. She treasured her association with colleagues who shared her love for preservation, history and the decorative arts. While Chair at Waynflete School from 1982 to 1984, she oversaw the expansion of the West End Campus and development of the Fore River Fields. She served on many other non-profit boards, including Providence Preservation Society, Owl’s Head Transportation Museum, Strawberry Banke, the Stanley Museum, Maine Maritime Museum, and Dana Hall School.

Mary Lou leaves her six children, Phineas Jr. (Joanna Makela), Mimi (Ward Hauenstein), Seth (Laura Fecych), Abbott (Terrell Wilson), Cate (Richard Gilbane), and Happy (William Rowe); 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Phineas Sprague; and her siblings Zella Thomas Dewey and Widgery Thomas, Jr.

Her family is grateful to the many devoted people who assisted Mary Lou in recent years.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Spurwink Farm, 50 Fieldways Lane, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 on Aug. 21, at 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in memory of Mary Lou to Waynflete School, Tate House Museum, or one of Mary Lou’s favorite organizations.