1928 – 2016

AUBURN — Amaryllis E. McGuinness, 87, died Friday, March 11. She had been a resident of the Chapman House in Auburn.

She was born in Milford on May 3, 1928, a daughter of the late Erwin and Caroline (Koenig) Hodsdon. Amaryllis (Amy to many) married George McGuinness on May 6, 1950, and they spent 42 wonderful years together, until he passed in 1992.

She worked as a social worker for many years, a job she enjoyed and was very proud of. Education was very important to Amaryllis. Due to family needs she left school returning later in life getting her GED and then in her mid-50s graduated from University of Maine, Orono, with her bachelor’s degree in social services, an accomplishment she was very proud of.

Amaryllis traveled to many state and national parks from here to Alaska. She also traveled to the United Kingdom, Scotland, Western Europe and Russia. On many occasions throughout her life, she would go for a ride with nothing but a map and was never afraid of getting lost because she had been known to say, “Every road takes you somewhere.”

Amaryllis was a lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, the Meenahga Grange, and she also volunteered for many years with Literacy Volunteers, helping those who needed it. She was an avid reader who loved the Auburn Public Library. She was so well-known there that even when she was physically unable to visit the library, they knew what books and authors she loved and they would find their way to her. She was loved by everyone she met and will be truly missed by her Chapman House Family.

She leaves her daughter, Sharon Chapman and her husband, Ed, of Auburn; her son, Brett McGuinness and his wife, Lisa, of Greenfield, Mass.; a sister, Carolyn Bellmore; a brother, Erwin Hodsdon, both of South Carolina; four grandchildren, Bryan, Sarah, Sharon and Matthew; and five great-grandchildren, Emily, Colin, Ethan, Eli and Aiden.

She was predeceased by a sister, LaVerne Molnar; and a brother, Allan Hodsdon.

You are invited to offer condolences and pay tribute to Amaryllis’ life by visiting her guest book at www.thefortingroupauburn.com.