Bar Harbor
Beatrice Louise (Bea Lou) Horner, 95, died peacefully, after a long and very happy life, on January 27, 2012.
She was born on November 19, 1916 in Bar Harbor, ME. She was the elder daughter of Asa Hoyt and Blanche Deasy Hodgkins, and the last surviving grandchild of the Honorable Luere Babson and Emma Moore Deasy.
Bea Lou graduated from Bar Harbor High School in 1934--she had been the oldest living graduate--and from Wheelock College, Boston, MA . in 1938 with a teaching degree in elementary education. She lovingly taught Kindergarten in the Bar Harbor public school system for many years, with legions of graduates who remember her fondly.
On July 2, 1939 she married W. Rea Horner of Carmichaels, PA, who in later years was known to our family as “The Music Man”. Rea worked for the Mobil Oil Corporation on Mount Desert Island, Hancock Point and Bangor, and for 52 years of happy marriage they lived and raised their children in Bar Harbor. Rea taking early retirement in 1973, they traveled in Europe and spent many wonderful winters with friends at their condominium in Bradenton, FL.
Music and the Bar Harbor Congregational Church were central to their life together. They were founding members of the original Acadia Choral Society and stalwarts in the church choir for many years. Even as she neared the end of her life, Bea Lou still knew the alto part of every hymn. At the time of her death, she had been a member of the church for 79 years, the oldest on record.
Bea Lou is survived by her son, Bill Horner and his wife Cookie, and by her daughter, Andrea Semels, of Austin, TX. and her daughter-in-law, Nicola Knipe of Princeton, NJ. She has 5 grandchildren, Asa and Eva Horner of Princeton, NJ, Lara Horner and Amy Munson of Bar Harbor, and Christian Horner of Los Angeles, CA: 3 step-grandchildren, Jennifer Judd-McGee of Northeast Harbor, Kathryn Judd of Traverse City, MI and Samuel Judd of Boston. Her blended family has produced 9 fabulous great grandchildren.
She was pre-deceased by her husband, Rea in 1991, son Rob in 1992, grandson Mark Woolman Horner in 1998, her son-in-law, Dan Semels in 2002, a sister Marguerite Bryant, a brother, Robert Hodgkins and cousin, Theodosia Gray.
A service in celebration of the life of Bea Lou Horner will be held at 2 PM. Saturday, February 4, 2012at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church. Those who wish may make a donation in her memory to the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, 29 Mt Desert Street, Bar Harbor, 04609.
Arrangements in care of Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main Street, Mt. Desert. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com