Faye Harriman Bean

1931 – 2013

NORWAY — Faye Harriman Bean, 82, of South Paris, died peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at Stephens Memorial Hospital.

Faye was born in Blue Hill on April 27, 1931, the third child of Warren Benson and Margaret Mortell Harriman. After her mother died, she moved to South Paris to live with her brother, Hank, and his family and graduated from Paris High School in 1949. Esther Wood, a Blue Hill relative who taught at Gorham State Teachers College, encouraged Faye to continue her education and she graduated from Gorham in 1953, with a degree in education.

Faye married Ellis Bean in 1953, and taught school to help him through pharmacy school at the University of Connecticut. In 1959, they settled back in South Paris where Faye raised three children and worked as a teacher, assistant principal and building principal at Mildred Fox School, retiring after 32 years.

Faye was a member of the First Congregational Church in South Paris, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society for women educators and the Maine Education Association.

She loved teaching, reading, relaxing on the porch at camp, feeding the birds and especially taking care of her family and friends. Having been welcomed into her brother’s home and helped along in her education, she kept an open door at home and camp, and a watchful eye out for those in need. In her retirement, she volunteered at Fox School, at church making wreaths for the Christmas fair as well as serving on the scholarship committee, at the Paris Public Library book sales and for many years at the Coat Room with her brother’s daughters, Wendy Williams and Jill Bean. She was a special “Auntie Faye” to many nieces and nephews.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Ellis Bean; her three children, Carol Tate and husband, Paul, of Laurinburg, N.C., Michael and wife, Jennifer, of York and Laura and husband, Steve Podgajny, of Brunswick; five grandchildren, Paul, Seth and Rebecca Tate, and Griffin and Jacob Bean; and three great-grandchildren, Ayva Robinson, and Kiersten and Madelyn Tate.

Faye is predeceased by her parents; her brother, Warren “Hank” Harriman; and sister, Muriel Tozier.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the special care staff at Stephens Memorial Hospital for their kindness and support during Faye’s final days.

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