SCARBOROUGH — Stephanie Marie Dario, 55, formerly of Barrington and Providence, R.I., died Sunday, Sept. 30, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, after an arduous and courageous seven-year battle with a very rare form of cancer.
Stephanie was born Dec. 2, 1956, the daughter of Barbara A. Carey and Alan W. Philbrick, at Murphy Army Hospital in Waltham, Mass. She lived in Alexandria, Va. and attended kindergarten in Stoneham, Mass. She moved to Rumford, graduating from St. John’s Parochial School and Rumford High School, where she was active in clubs, sports and cheerleading. Her junior year she was elected Governor of Girl’s State.
In the summertime she loved camping at Worthley Pond, swimming, water skiing, hiking with friends and mountain climbing with her sisters and father. Wintertime fun included ice skating, tobogganing and skiing on Rumford’s Black Mountain and Rangeley’s Saddleback Mountain, where her paternal grandparents lived. Trips to Augusta for visits to her maternal grandparents meant sleepovers, holiday activities, parades, family reunions, shopping and other special activities.
Blessed by a love of psychology, as early as high school, Stephanie began a lifelong study of understanding people in a career she truly enjoyed. After attending Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Maine in Orono, she began as a business consultant in training and development at Boise Cascade Paper Company in Rumford. Her career development included jobs as a project manager for Bass Shoe in Falmouth and a training and development specialist for Hannaford Brothers in Scarborough. After moving to Rhode Island, she was manager of training and development for the G Tech Corp.of Rhode Island. Private consulting was also a part of her career which brought her great satisfaction, as she consulted for small local businesses, enterprises and personal/career development for her friends. As a lifelong learner, Stephanie always considered her work to be a wonderful asset in her life.
Stephanie was married to Dr. Lawrence Dario, Prosthodontist, in Barrington, R.I. in June of 1991, for approximately 12 years. A beautiful daughter, Dove Stefi Dario, was born in June of 1992. Stephanie’s most precious gift after her deep faith in God was her daughter, Dove, who was the deepest love in her life and gave her the most joy and satisfaction imaginable. She was very proud of her.
Stephanie shared with Dove her love of family, friends, meeting people, books, nature, holidays, summer camping in Camden and their three dogs and two cats. Birthday parties for Dove always had special themes such as live birds, animals, a reptile man and decorating her own cakes. Family meant more than anything to Stephanie. Her mother, father and sisters never ceased to remain loyal, loving and compassionate through her long illness. Her sister-in-law, Kathy Dario, was considered a real sister and her nephews a very special joy. Special friends, Marcie Hofmann, Bonnie Koppelmin, Kathy Bernstein of Rhode Island and Pam Mitchell of Scarborough loved and helped Stephanie during her six years of very difficult treatments and surgeries.
Survivors include her daughter, Dove Stefi Dario of South Portland; her mother, Barbara Ann (Brown) Carey of Scarborourgh; her father, Alan Whitten Philbrick of Rangeley; two sisters, Valerie Ann Philbrick and Marie Alane Philbrick of Portland; her Aunt Jacqueline and Fred J. Merrill of Saco; Uncle Terence D. Brown of Newton, Mass.; her cousin, Julie and Attorney Timothy Robbins and children, Ella and Evan of Cape Elizabeth; cousin, Gregory F. Merrill of Boston, Mass.; cousin, Richard J. Merill of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Uncle Gilbert and Terry Philbrick of Warren; cousin, Thomas E. Philbrick and family of Rangeley; cousin, Jack E. Philbrick and family of California; cousin, Bert A. Philbrick and family of Rockland; Uncle John and Paula Philbrick of Virginia; cousins, Ralph Philbrick, Tina Philbrick Ewing and Sarah Philbrick of Virginia; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Roy and Kathleen Dario of Lynnfield, Mass.; nephews, Christopher, Matthew and Godson, Connor Dario of Lynnfield, Mass.; and her aunt, Jody Russell Philbrick of Rangeley.
Stephanie was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Romeo and Rolande Brown of Augusta; paternal grandparents, Ralph and Louise Philbrick of Rangeley; stepfather, Edward J. Carey of Scarborough; and a cousin, Stephen C. Merrill of Portland.
Beautiful in mind, body, and spirit, Stephanie felt so blessed with her daughter and all of the abundance in their lives that she would want each of you to celebrate her passing with a thankful heart as she truly felt blessed.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Devon Evans and the staff at the Maine Medical Cancer Center and the doctors and staff at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ctcrawford.com.
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