Bernice E. Kingdom

AUGUSTA – She sought unity in her affairs.Bernice E. Kingdom ‘B.E.’ was born Dec. 30, 1934, in Lynn, Mass. to Sadie Peavey and Lewis Kingdon. She died August 22, 2019. She graduated from Solon High School in 1953. She received her B.S. in Education in 1959. From 1960 until 1965 she served as a Marine Corp Reservist and was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal. She received Montessori teaching accreditation in 1966 and became the Director for a Montessori preschool in St Louis, Mo. She had excellent skills as a visual communicator and used it to great purpose in her work as an educator.She became a Catholic lay apostle with the Society of Our Lady in Kansas City from 1970 to 1982. Upon returning to Maine after a mental health crisis she advocated for improvements to the state system of mental health services by sharing her lived experiences as a person afflicted with mental health issues. Over time she came to an acceptance of her calling to learn, to understand, and to share the good works of the Holy family. She established a religious book library called Nazareth Rummage in the last chapter of her life. She purchased thousands of books, pamphlets and media for free distribution to neighbors and worthy causes, notably Good-Will-Hinckley and religious libraries across the US.Her surviving nieces and nephews are beholden to her friends Christine Arbour, Roger Pomerleau, Grace VonTrebel, Myra Achorn, Lucy Ash, Debbie Ray, Rhonda Carr, Julie McDonald, DO, the parish of St Michael’s and Plummer’s Funeral Home. Her impact on her community at large is immeasurable.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. at St Mary’s Church on Western Avenue, Augusta