Mary Cameron Howe – Penobscot Bay Press

STONINGTON, MAINE – Mary Cameron Howe, 81, passed away on June 15, 2024, after a long but courageous battle with an autoimmune disease. She was a very talented, yet humble and gentle soul whose life was marked by creativity, curiosity and love for her family and community.

Mary had deep roots in Michigan. She was born October 3, 1942 in Mount Pleasant. It was there that she first met her future husband, Rich Howe, during a high school French class. She graduated from Central Michigan University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in biology, art and music. After teaching in elementary-level classrooms in the Boston and Cleveland area, she became an elementary school art teacher at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Mary was also involved in teacher programs at the Cleveland Museum of Art. After moving to Boston in 1988, she continued her studies at the DeCordova Museum School and was a lecturer and gallery instructor at the Museum of Fine Arts.

When Mary and Rich moved to Stonington permanently in 1992, they founded Penobscot Bay Provisions, a bakery and food store known for its artisan breads, sticky buns, soups and salads. They shared a passion for exploring global cuisine, art and culture through extensive travel, often on foot, and enjoyed sharing their culinary adventures with friends and family. Mary was a masterful maker of delicious desserts that showcased her culinary skills.

Art was central to Mary’s life. Her work evolved from weaving and printmaking to book art, where she mastered the creation of highly unique structured objects that tell stories. Her experiences at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts and the University of Southern Maine Book Arts Program were important to her development as an artist. She has been an instructor and artist in residence at several schools, most notably Haystack and the University of Southern Maine. Mary’s works can be found in many private collections, as well as in the Department of Special Collections and Archives at Bowdoin College, and the Jaffe Collection at Florida Atlantic University’s Wimberly Library. Mary’s work has also been featured in numerous solo exhibitions at North Main Gallery in Salem, NY, the Kendal Gallery at Oberlin College, and Blue Heron Gallery in Deer Isle. Additionally, her art has been included in numerous galleries and group exhibitions in North America.

Mary’s commitment to her community has always been strong wherever she has lived. While at Deer Isle, she was involved with many different organizations, including The Reach Performing Arts Center, Blue Hill Concert Association and the Deer Isle/Sunset Congregational Church. When she was not singing in the choir, she served in many different leadership roles at church, including moderator, chair of the music committee, treasurer of the Island Heating Assistance Program, and chair of the Gotwals Music Endowment Fund. She was also involved in environmental research, testing seawater for the Bigelow Lab in Boothbay. Finally, Mary has been a longtime mentor to high school students and adults interested in the book arts through programming at Haystack and the Healthy Island Project.

At home, Mary expressed her creativity through various art projects and in the kitchen, especially enjoying sharing these passions with her two daughters and later her grandchildren. She also loved puzzles and was a formidable player of the tile game Rummikub. She created beautifully handmade cards for friends and family for celebrations, milestones and Valentine’s Day.

Mary is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Rich Howe; her daughters, Cammy Dubie and husband Sven of Indianapolis, Ind., and Katy Binder and husband Keith of Ridgefield, Conn.; her grandchildren Peter and Miles Dubie, and Ella and Heidi Binder; her brother Ted Foley and his wife Karen of Northport, Mich; and their children, Cathie and Ted (Virginia) Foley.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at the Deer Isle Sunset Congregational Church, 57 Church Street, Deer Isle. Contributions in Mary’s memory may be made to the Deer Isle Memorial Ambulance Corps or the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Condolences may be shared at jordanfernald.com.