1923 – 2014

WEST POLAND — Marion Adams (Hatch) Bunney Emery Chesley, a longtime resident of West Poland, died peacefully on Friday, March 28, at home surrounded by family and close friends.

Born the daughter of Fred P. and Grace A. (Adams) Hatch on Aug. 21, 1923, in Lewiston, she was educated in Auburn schools and graduated from Edward Little High School, with the Class of 1940.

Throughout her lifetime she worked in the youth field office for the Universalist Church of America in Boston, as registrar at the Auburn Maine School of Commerce and as church administrator of the First Universalist Church in Auburn. She also worked at B. Peck & Co. department store, as well as Anderson & Briggs, Advance Auto and dentist Anita Violette.

Marion married John E. Bunney in 1945; they had two children, Betsy Jo and Greg. After John’s death, she married Alfred P. Emery in 1991, and upon his death, she married Claire V. Chesley Jr. in 2001, whom she first met in the fourth grade while clapping erasers together at Washburn Elementary school.

Marion was an 80-year member of the First Universalist Church, where she served in numerous leadership roles, including on the board of trustees, ministerial search committees, the church fair, the 1976 Centennial Committee and as religious education superintendent. She served numerous terms on the boards of youth and women’s affiliations of the National Universalist Association. Marion was an active supporter of the Poland Spring Preservation Society for more than three decades, serving as vice president of the planning board and in membership.

She was also a founding member and president of Altrusa in Auburn, member and president of the ELHS Alumni Society, treasurer of the Salvation Army women’s organization, member of the L/A Council of Churches, board member of the Poland Community Club, the Poland Historical Society, Highland Cemetery Association and president of the Poland Community Health Center Auxiliary.

Marion was an excellent genealogist and local historian. Her hobbies included gardening, cooking and knitting. Her favorite places were her home on Tripp Lake and the Ferry Beach Unitarian-Universalist Conference Center in Saco.

Marion was widely known and loved for her generosity of spirit, strength of character and unwavering interest in other people.

She is survived by her daughter, Betsy Jo (Bunney) Whitcomb and husband, Charles, and their daughter, Cathy J. (Whitcomb) Vorpagel and husband, Steven; and her son-in-law, Rob Randall. She is also survived by stepchildren, nieces, nephews and many people she adopted or who adopted her as mother and grandmother.

She was predeceased by her parents; brother, Donald E. Hatch; sister, Elsie R. (Hatch) Parker; her husbands; and a son, Gregory A. Bunney.

The family would like to particularly thank the caregivers at Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, her “family” of caregivers at Hospice House for their wonderful care and the loving support of her church family.