Beverly Luella (Conant) Bamford

Beverly Luella (Conant) Bamford, age 91, passed away peacefully to her Savior, Jesus, on May 28, 2025 at the Andwell Hospice House, Auburn. She was born in Portland, August 12, 1933, to the Rev. and Mrs. Merle and Alice (Dingley) Conant. Growing up as a minister’s daughter, Bev lived in several Maine locations including Falmouth Foreside, So. Portland, Bar Harbor, Farmington, Portland and Rockland. During the years her family returned to serve the Washington Ave. UMC in Portland, she attended and graduated from Deering High School. In her Sophomore year, at their church she met her future husband, Corille F. Bamford, ‘Chuck’. In 1951, the family re-located to serve the Rockland UMC where Bev attended and graduated from the Rockland School of Commerce. Bev and Corille were married by her father in the Rockland church, April, 25,1953. The following 2 years, while Corille was completing his service with the Navy, Bev worked for C.M.P., in Rockland, as Admin. Assist. to the District Manager. In 1955, the couple moved to Boston where Bev worked for Hutchens and Wheeler Law Firm during the time Corille attended and graduated from Bentley College. In 1957, Bev and Corille returned to Portland where they raised their family on Wellwood Rd. Bev was a very busy full-time mother and homemaker. She was an active member of their family’s church, Clark Memorial UMC, including Sunday School Superintendent, Women’s Society and working on the annual church fairs. She also served as a Campfire leader. In 1979, after her daughters were grown, Bev re-entered the professional workplace where she began her 24 years of employment at MMC Brighton Campus as switchboard operator and shift leader. For 10 of those years, she also served as scheduler for the hospital chaplains. She consistently received glowing annual reviews. In 1983, Bev and Corille moved to Gorham for 14 years where they joined and become active members of the former School St. UMC which is now the beautiful Cressey Rd GMC. She enjoyed making the Christmas wreaths for their annual Fall fairs, decorating the tables for the annual cookie fair, organizing the monthly church sponsored dinners at The Root Cellar, serving the Women’s Group, and singing in the church choir. After retiring from Brighton MMC in 2003, she then accepted a position as the church Admin. Assist. for 11 years, retiring at age 81. In 2010, Bev was honored with the UMW Special Mission Recognition Award. Bev was a years’ long member and active crafter of the State and So. ME Crafter’s Association participating in the annual and most popular Cumberland and Bonny Eagle craft shows among others. She was also a member of the former Deering Chapter #59 OES. Bev loved to read, travel and cook. She was a faithful reader of her Bible and the Guide Post. She enjoyed travels to Quebec, Alaska, Bermuda, Lake Tahoe, Reno, the Grand Canyon and Florida (where she and Corille enjoyed snow-birding for a couple of years). Bev was a wonderful cook. She enjoyed cooking for church gatherings and special events. She loved serving her family for Sunday dinners after church as well as her always beautiful holiday meals and hosting wonderful summer gatherings at her lake home. From her birth, Bev and her parents spent summers on the lake at Bonny Eagle Pond. In 1997, Bev and Corille remodeled the camp and moved to the lake as their year round home. After Corille’s passing in 2009 (celebrating close to 56 years of marriage), Bev moved to an apt. in Gorham for the winters continuing to live at her beloved lake home for the remainder of the year. In March of 2017, Bev moved to The Chapman House, Auburn where she enjoyed assisted living there for 6 years. In 2023, she moved to St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavilion. She is survived by her daughter Debbie M. Merrill and husband Scott, daughter Rhonda A. Alafat and husband Richard, grandsons Christopher S. Merrill, Jeremy S. Merrill and wife Ashley (Joyce) Merrill, and great-granddaughter Jinavieve M. Merrill There will be a time of memory during the morning church service at Cressey Rd. GMU later in the year. Beverly will be buried at the Dingley family site in Pine Grove Cemetery, Falmouth. For all that you taught us, for the numerous ways you gave to us, by your gentle spirit you showed us, and for the many special ways you loved us, thank you for touching our lives and leaving an imprint on the hearts of all of us. We love you, and we will miss you………until we’re together again. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cressey Road GMC (81 Cressey Road Gorham, ME 04038).

Beverly Luella (Conant) Bamford

August 12, 1933 - May 28, 2025

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