GUILFORD – Carolyn Esther Bean Merchant, 76, of Wilton, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 11, at her daughter Cynthia’s home in Guilford, five weeks following the diagnosis of a brain tumor, surrounded and cared for by her loving family.

She was born in Livermore Falls at her grandmother Charlotte (Pike), “Ma Bean’s Tourist Home,” on June 3, 1931, the daughter of Gerald and Helen (Masterman) Bean. She graduated from Livermore Falls High School, a proud member of the ’49ers, a class that continues to hold fun-filled reunions yearly.

On a dance floor at the Fayette Grange Hall, she met her dance band drummer, Carrol Merchant of East Wilton, and they were married in 1950. Following in her mother’s footsteps as a cake maker, she operated a cake decorating business in Wilton and adult education classes for 30-plus years while raising all five of her children. This not only helped sustain her family and provide a creative outlet for her artistic abilities, but also commemorated many special events in the lives of hundreds of others throughout Maine and New England. In addition to cake decorating, she also worked as a graphic arts assistant at Wilton Printed Products and served as the secretary to the plant manager and photographer for the “Bass Innersoul” at G.H. Bass & Co. for several years.

While attending the University of Maine in Farmington, she held various positions; assistant curator at the Maine State Museum in Augusta, coordinator of the UMF “Focus on Women” photo exhibit and UMF’s coordinator of commuter concerns. forty years after graduating from high school, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by receiving her bachelor’s degree in May 1989, where she was chosen to deliver the senior address entitled “Hold On to Your Dreams!” and included a solo “Climb Every Mountain.”

Her major passions in life were flowers and photography, the arts; music and beauty everywhere, gardening at her camp in Weld, fun and adventure with her friends and family, service to others and her faith. She was a 55-year member of the Wilton United Methodist Church and sang in the church choir, UMF Community Chorus and musical production of Ma Bean’s Front Porch Memories. She was a member of Upcountry Artists, Country Square Quilters and the Weld Historical Society. She served on the board of directors of Western Maine Community Action this past year.

Carolyn leaves her five children and their families, Christine Merchant and Wayne Davis of Mt. Vernon, Curt and Patti Merchant of Cheyenne, Wyo., Cynthia and Russell Scott of Guilford, Celine and Robby Richards of New Sharon and Cheri and Jim Johnson of Liberty, Utah; and her 12 grandchildren, Anahita Pajuhesh and Kian Merchant-Borna, Jenika and Jediah Scott, Angie, Deanna and Adelle Richards, Josiah and Jeremiah Johnson and Shana, Lara and Sara (Riley) Davis. She is survived by her brother, Byron and Nancy Bean of Livermore; three nieces, two nephews and many cousins.

Along with her parents; she joins her sister, Irma Sawyer; stepmother, Mary Cushman Bean; and many other dear family and friends.