Obituary of Adolfine Maria Bowen

Adolfine Maria Mueller Bowen The lovely Adolfine (Dolly) Bowen passed away peacefully at Pen Bay Medical Center, Rockland, Maine surrounded by family members on September 22, 2015 after achieving an adventurous 88 trips around the sun. Dolly was born in Endersdorf, Czechoslovakia on June 17, 1927 as the oldest of four children of Adolfine and Robert Mueller. She grew up in war-torn Czechoslovakia, and when her grandparents’ farm was taken over by Russian soldiers, the family was relocated to Kassel, West Germany. It was here that she met the young American soldier, also known to her as, “my knight in shining armor,” Robert Everett Bowen of Carmel, Maine. They eventually married on November 27, 1948 in Neustadt, West Germany and travelled by ship to Maine in January 1949. Bob and Dolly built their own home in Carmel, Maine and raised their five children there. A tragic accident in 1971 caused the death of her only son, Robert Howard Bowen, as well as her husband, Robert Everett Bowen. She is also predeceased by her 3 siblings: Werner Mueller, Walter Mueller and Roswitha (Mueller) Hess all of Kassel, Germany. Dolly was a well-trained seamstress from the European tradition and was employed at various times over the years by: The Maine Fur Company, Lyford and Woodard Furriers, S.D. Crocker Furriers and World Traders, Inc. all in the Bangor, Maine area. Dolly also took orders for sewing in her home as well as creating unique clothing for her family. Dolly moved from Carmel and in with her oldest daughter, Rosemarie and her husband Erich in Norridgewock in 1999. Several years later, she moved into the Merry Gardens Assisted Living community in Camden, Maine and has lived there until her death. Dolly had many friends at the Gardens and participated in many activities while living in Camden; she truly loved being near the ocean for frequent visits to the Harbor; she also enjoyed gardening, birdwatching, knitting baby hats for newborns and spending time with her family and friends. Her life-long and dear friend, Phyllis Hammond shared many life moments of both tears and laughter with her throughout the years. Dolly will be deeply missed by her four daughters and their families: Rosemarie Jane (Bowen) Muecke and her husband Erich Muecke, Sheryl Leigh Bowen, Cynthia Mae (Bowen) Rogers and her husband, Glen Rogers and Loreen Viva Bowen. Her grandsons: Larry Bowen Bond, Robert Muecke and his wife Tina, Daniel Muecke, Colby Rogers and Austin Rogers as well as her granddaughters, Andrea Bond, Devyn Machen and Leia Machen will all miss their beloved “Nana.” Her great grand-children, Sammy Muecke, Mariah Muecke, and Eli Markley were all deeply loved by their dear “Nana.” Her legacy is one of strength, courage, hard work, self-sacrifice and love. She was an awe-inspiring woman; we will all miss her deeply. Although Adolfine requested no funeral services, family and friends are invited to attend a graveside internment service at Highland Cemetery in Carmel on Sunday September 27, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.; this will be followed by a gathering in the basement of the Carmel Congregational Church on the Plymouth Road in Carmel.