Dear Sun Spots: I have been rereading Elisabeth Ogilvie’s books which I have enjoyed for many years. I learned she dies some two or three years ago and I have not seen a good obituary on her. I have tried my computer and cannot find one, nor can I send an e-mail to you, which I usually find very convenient.
Any help you can give me on either of these problems would be much appreciated. I would have expected a front page article on the death of such a fine and prolific writer. — Eleanor Parker, Auburn.
Answer: Sun Spots located Ogilvie’s obituary in the archive of the September 13 edition of the Village Soup that read that Ogilvie “died at her home on the morning of Sept. 9, 2006 with her family and cat Otis by her side.
“She was born in Boston, Mass. on May 20, 1917, the only daughter of Frank and Maude Coates Ogilvie. She attended schools in Dorchester and Wollaston, Mass., graduating from North Quincy High School in 1934. Later she took writing courses at Harvard University.
“Her summers on Criehaven Island began when she was four years old and her great love for the island and Maine was carried through into her books. She spent most of her time on Gay’s Island on land that she purchased in 1944, the year her first book, “High Tide at Noon,” was published.
“Her desire to write began in the fourth grade and her ability to create descriptive stories of Maine developed throughout her school years, encouraged by her parents and her high school English teacher, Mr. Smoyer. During her career she wrote 40 books, ranging from children’s books to adult stories with a mystery once in awhile. Her one non-fiction book, “My World is an Island,” is still being read with delight by her many fans and readers from coast to coast. In 2001, “A Mug Up With Elisabeth,” (published by Downeast Books) was written by Melissa Hayes and Marilyn Westervelt, probably her biggest fans.
“Elisabeth was a foster “aunt” to many needy foreign children over the years. A conservation advocate, she gave the Audubon Society an easement on her island property so the land could not be developed. She traveled to Scotland twice on the QE II and used material gathered there for her Jenny books. Elisabeth loved music, reading, animals, birds and walks on her beloved island.
“She is survived by her niece, Barbara Mosher of Cushing; Barbara’s children, Marilyn Durgin and her husband, Rocky of Limington, Susan Eubanks, Douglas Mosher and his wife Tricia all of Florida, Lee Jones of Kansas, Steven Mosher of Mississippi, and Scott Mosher of California; her nephew, Peter Ogilvie of California; her nieces Patricia Garzoli, Susan Felton of California and Katherine Clark of Seattle, Wash.; and several grand nieces and nephews.
“She was predeceased by her parents; her three brothers, Allen, Kent and Gordon; and her longtime friend and companion, Dorothy Simpson.”
In response to your second request about submitting items to Sun Spots, our Web site is still being fine-tuned. In the meantime, you can e-mail Sun Spots questions to sunspots@sunjournal.com or mail it to the Sun Journal office.
Dear Sun Spots: A few weeks ago the hospital had a garage sale at the Steve and Barry store at the Auburn Mall. I bought a king comforter set there, but the sheets were missing. If the person finds the sheets that go with it, call me at 782-1692. — No Name, No Town.
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