Rose Elizabeth Estes

OXFORD – Heaven truly gained an angel on Dec. 27, 2023. With breaking hearts, we announce the passing of our dearest Mum, Gram, Nan, great-grandmother, sister and aunt, Rose Elizabeth Estes, 83, of Oxford.

Rose was born and raised in Houlton, March 29, 1940, one of 12 children, to Cecil and Queenie Levesque Dobbins. Rose attended St Mary’s catholic school growing up and Houlton High. She said she always enjoyed being a tomboy as a kid and learned to be tough with six brothers!

Early in her life she married Richard Noble, and they had four children. After moving to the Oxford Hills, she later married Roland Estes, having three more children, and they have remained together for over 60 years. When they lived in Millettville Norway, her sister Nancy (better known as “Cy”) who had Downs Syndrome, came to live with them from Pineland. Even though they had a house full of kids already, having Cy come live with them was a no brainer for Mum. She needed them. Cy lived with us and was one of the family until her passing in 2001.

In 1974 they purchased the Webberbrook Farm on Allen Hill Road in Oxford, and they have remained there ever since. The Farm has always been a place of great comfort and refuge to all in the family. Together, she and Roland shared and raised 10 children in their blended family in Oxford. She was an extraordinary woman of many talents and gifts.

She was an avid reader (Stephen King, Taylor Caldwell and Edgar Cayce being among her favorites), and she loved doing the daily crossword puzzle in the paper. She had a great love of music as well. She loved the Irish Rovers, Queen, Cat Stevens and many others. She had a great sense of humor and loved good jokes and comedy albums like Bert and I and Spike Jones.

She was amazing at home projects, furniture repair, painting, arts, crafts and sewing. She loved adventures with the grandkids, berry picking, walks out in the Pines or out to the brick house, fishing at the brook, birthday parties, cookouts, and swimming in the pool.

She and Roland enjoyed traveling with her sister Linda on many of their adventures across the country and Europe. Among her favorites were visiting England, Ireland, Newfoundland, Key West, and the Grand Canyon. She was a homemaker much of her life, but also enjoyed careers as a candy striper at Andrews Nursing home, a cashier at the credit union and a foray into real estate as well.

For many years, she and Roland had large gardens. She preserved and canned great amounts of fruits and vegetables to feed their large family. She also loved to tend her flower gardens; the springtime lilacs, cala lilies and her beloved peonies being her favorites. She loved yearly strawberry and blueberry picking with her children, then grandchildren; making her delectable strawberry shortcake a summertime favorite (with real whipped cream only!). She was an amazing and creative cook, who could stretch meager ingredients into great feasts. All were welcome at her table. Her sheath cake was family legend. Family gatherings at the holidays were one of her great joys, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were always well attended by numerous family members. She truly enjoyed decorating for Halloween and Christmas, and the pumpkin carving gatherings were always fun filled, with family and friends carving upwards of 25-30 jack-o-lanterns every fall to display on their front lawn, and her Christmas tree was always a glorious sight.

She will forever be remembered for her immense heart, generosity and kindness. Her kitchen table was a place of comfort and familiarity for everyone who knew her. She would put on the coffee and was always ready with a kind ear to listen, a warm hug and quick wit to cheer anyone up. She and Roland would drop everything to help anyone in need. They loved all their children deeply and equally and would do anything for any of them.

Rose leaves behind her beloved husband of 60 years, Roland; and their children, Jolene (Ricky) Berry, Debbie Noblesmith, Tracy Estes, Vicki Cushman, Chris Noble, Diehl Estes, Beth (Dale) Frechette, Yonhel Noble, and Lionel Noble. She also leaves behind their 19 grandchildren, Dana, Billy, Donny, Maxx, Chrissy, Zandi, Zianna, Tiffany, Travis, DJ, Dylan, Gabe, Michaela, Boone, Sylar, Lionel, Jamie, Janelle, and Courtney; also 14 great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Isabelle, Abby, Maddox, Sophia, Daniel, Lennon, Brynley, Lilly, Colton, Halie, Catalaya, Lyla, and Jameson; surviving brothers Joe Dobbins, Dave Dobbins, sisters Pam Wilkinson, and Linda Clarke.

She was predeceased by her parents; and siblings, Connie, Jack, Fred, Lionel, Ricky, (infant) Robert, Nancy “Cy”, and her and Roland’s beloved son, Danny. She was also predeceased by some of her dearest lifelong friends Eva Tripp, Don and Phyllis Gouin, and Barbara Heacock. We know they all welcomed Mum into Heaven with wide open arms.

She was the very center and life force in our family and most of us have never taken an earthly breath without her in our lives. It will be a bit duller world without her, and we will miss her eternally.

Visiting hours will be held Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Oxford Hills Funeral Services, 1037 Main St., Oxford. A Catholic Mass will be held Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 at 11 a.m. at St. Catherine of Sienna, 32 Paris St., Norway. A cemetery interment will be held at a later date in the spring at Webberbrook Cemetery in Oxford. Online condolences may be shared with her family at http://www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com