SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Alice Harnden Trask, 86, died on Thursday, July 26, in Southbridge, Mass.

She was born in Wilton, Feb. 17, 1926, the only child of Newton and Eleanor Bubier Harnden.

Mrs. Trask graduated from Wilton Academy in 1944, with honors, first prize several times in public speaking, sang in the chorus, played in the band, and played field hockey.

After graduating from Oxford Secretarial School in Cambridge, Mass., she was employed as secretary to the manager of Metropolitan Storage in Cambridge, Mass.; secretary to the County Attorney, Benjamin Butler, Farmington; secretary to the New England manager of Colgate Palmolive Co., in Boston.

On Sept. 2, 1950, she married Stanford I. Trask at Grace Methodist Church in Winthrop. She and Stan lived in Bangor, the first year and she was employed as secretary to Carl Blaesdell, M.D. for a year.

She was “stay at home” mom for their two children, Steven and Lee Anne, for 16 years. During those years, she was an active supporter of her children’s activities, attending countless sporting events for Steve and plays and concerts for Lee Anne. She was a league bowler and golfer. She collected and refinished the antiques that were lovingly displayed in her home.

After living in Bangor, Bucksport, Hartland, Kittery and Waterville, due to Stan’s High School principalships, she was secretary to the Elementary Principal in Waterville from 1967 to 1968, secretary to the headmaster of Coburn Classical Institute 1968 to 1970, and held many positions in the Alumni Office at Colby College 1970 to 1988.

While working full time at Colby, she earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Maine in 1978.

In 1969, Alice and Stan bought a beach house on Popham Beach, in Phippsburg. They lovingly restored the property and after retiring from Colby College, she and Mr. Trask moved to Popham Beach full time. They owned the property together for more than 40 years.

Mrs. Trask had a love of all things Maine, including Maine art, music, antiques and the occasional lobster. She was also very involved with the community throughout her life.

She was a literacy volunteer, in Bath, and a soup kitchen and food pantry volunteer for University of Maine Senior College. She volunteered with MidCoast Hospital Red Cross blood bank, and she was a member of the Popham Chapel Board of Trustees, serving as chair of special music for the chapel and scheduling and hosting of weddings hosted at the chapel.

She is survived by her husband, Stanford I. Trask; her son, Steven Trask of Clinton: former daughter-in-law, Patricia Trask, of Vassalboro; a daughter, Lee Anne Madersky and son-in-law, Thomas Madersky, of Union, Conn.; three grandchildren, Katherine Madersky Hutton and her husband, Jason Hutton of Somers, Conn., Joseph Madersky of Des Moines, Iowa, and Eleanor Grace Trask of Augusta and her child, Alice’s great-grandchild, Isabelle Anne.

Alice’s family would like to sincerely thank the kind and capable people who cared for her while at Sunny Brook in Brunswick, Emeritus in South Windsor, Conn., and Radius in Southbridge, Mass., and the team of extraordinary people from Home Instead for providing loving companionship.

Copy the Story Link