Linda McFarland Palfrey, 97, died October 4, 2017 in Ellsworth. She was born March 26, 1920 in Salisbury Cove, the daughter of Chauncey Alexander and Mae (Dunton) McFarland Sr.

One of five children, her childhood on the farm was a happy one. She graduated from Bar Harbor High School and spent several of her younger years working in Princeton, NJ, as a nanny and watched one of the first television sets in a music store there. She made many lifelong friends there. Linda worked at the West End Drug during WWII and was an air raid warden. One memory was that only the soldiers were allowed to buy ice cream, as it was rationed. In 1947 she moved to Kittery and Portsmouth, NH, where she was assistant manager of the Portsmouth Canteen for eight years. Linda met and married Lloyd W. Palfrey in 1954; he was taken by death in 1957. After selling her home in 1958, she returned to Bar Harbor and worked at the admissions desk at MDI Hospital. In 1961 she left to assist in managing McFarland Nursing Home because of her mother’s illness. Following her mother’s death in 1968, Mr. McFarland sold the home and she went to work at Jackson Laboratory for 10 years, retiring in 1978.

She was a faithful worker at St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry, assisting the altar guild directors. Linda also served as president of the ECW for 10 years, flower guild, heading up the summer fairs and treasurer of the Diocesan Altar Guild. She was a life and 7th degree member of the grange and a life member of the Unison Rebekah Lodge, having held many offices, including past noble grand, past district deputy, past president of the Patriarchs Militant Auxiliary and marshal of the Rebekah Assembly of Maine. She was a volunteer secretary and treasurer of Leland Cemetery Associations for 29 years, past president of the local group of Hancock County Extension, an active member of MDI Hospital Auxiliary and active in the YWCA all of her life. Linda volunteered on the Eastern Agency “Meals” program. Linda was the holder of the Bar Harbor Historical Society Oldest “Native” Resident's Cane.

She loved singing in lodges and chorales and putting on suppers. Linda was a caring person, always seeing the good in others, was very close to family and believed patience was a talent.

She is survived by her brother-in-law, Robert Butler Sr. and many dear nieces and nephews. Linda was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd Palfrey; brother, Chauncey McFarland Jr.; sisters, Adelma M. Richardson, Gertrude M. Butler and Statie M. Foster.

Friends are invited to visit from 10-11am, October 10, 2017 at St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church, 41 Mt. Desert Street, Bar Harbor where funeral services will be held at 11am with Mother Kathleen Killian officiating. Interment will be at Ledgelawn Cemetery, Bar Harbor.

Contributions in Linda’s memory may be made MDI Hospital Auxiliary, 10 Wayman Lane, Bar Harbor 04609 or the MDI YWCA, 36 Mount Desert St. Bar Harbor 04609

Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may seek not so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. AMEN