People We've Lost
Julu “Julie” M. Grindle, Margaret “Binnie” MacDonald, Annie Colby, Caroline Herter, John C. Van Pelt
Note: “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island lost in the previous 1-2 weeks. We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered. If you have an obituary for a loved one or friend that you can’t afford to place in other spaces, please let us know and we’ll share it here for you.
Julu “Julie” M. Grindle
Mount Desert Island
Julu “Julie” M. Grindle died June 2, 2025, at Birch Bay Village. She was born on September 18, 1927, in Corbett Town, PA, the daughter of Irvin H. and Izie G. (Berkhouse) Jacox.
The summer of 1950, Julie went to work at Mt. Desert Island Hospital as a Registered Nurse in the Operating Room; it was a challenging and rewarding experience. Julie maintained over the years her professional affiliations and continuing education. She would choose to be remembered as one who rendered diligent compassionate care to her surgical patients. Julie worked at MDI Hospital for 43 years until her retirement and fell in love with MDI and its people.
That love was shown through her many and various contributions to the MDI Hospital Auxiliary, MDI Search & Rescue, ECW of St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church, the YWCA, and other charitable organizations. Julie espoused a deep love of animals and lent her support to the Morris Animal Foundation as well as adopting a cat from a feline leukemia research laboratory in CA which was developing a vaccine to eradicate the disease in cats. Her adopted cat, Leo, lived happily with her for 19 years. Her love of cats is well known, and her family would affectionately refer to her as “the cat woman.”
Retirement opened up a new way of life for Julie. There was now time to appreciate the beauty of Acadia National Park where she climbed all the mountains of Acadia as well as hiking all the carriage roads. Other leisure activities involved bridge games and playing golf at Kebo with Vera Cunningham. Julie often referred to herself as a “transplant” as her roots were in Pennsylvania, but she made Maine and Mount Desert Island her home.
Julie is survived by her siblings; Roy and Blaine; nieces, Suzanne Catherman, Anne Coleman, and nephew Michael Love. She was predeceased by her parents and siblings Mary, Francis, Ada, Russell, Reed, Sarah and Claire.
Graveside services will be held at 12pm, June 28, 2025, at Ledgelawn Cemetery, Bar Harbor.
Those who desire may make contributions in Julie’s memory to the charity of one’s choice.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
Margaret “Binnie” MacDonald
Southwest Harbor
Margaret Page Fitch MacDonald, known to most as “Binnie,” passed away peacefully at her home in Southwest Harbor, Maine on June 8, 2025, surrounded by family. She was 86.
Born to Charles and Margaret “Peg” Fitch on November 25, 1938, Binnie grew up in Plainfield, NJ and spent many happy summers on Shelter Island, NY with her older sisters, Nancy and Sandra, and younger brother, Charlie. While attending Smith College, Binnie met H. Stanley MacDonald, Jr., who was the banjo player in a band visiting from Yale for the weekend. The young couple married shortly after graduation on June 24, 1960, and initially resided in Fredericksburg, VA, where Binnie taught elementary school while Stan attended basic training at the U.S. Marine Corps Quantico Base. Stationed in Hawaii in 1960, the couple lived on the island of Oahu for four memorable years, where Karen F. MacDonald and David R. MacDonald were born. After Stan was honorably discharged, the family moved to Hartford, CT, where Laura P. MacDonald was born, and they then settled in Simsbury, CT for seven years.
In the mid-1970’s, the family made their way to Mount Desert Island and bought a historic colonial house on Main Street in Somesville, where many close friendships were forged and memories made over the next three decades. In addition to being a supermom, Binnie returned to education, teaching 4th grade at Tremont Consolidated School for 8 years, before pursuing her graduate degree at UMaine and working at MDI Hospital as a substance abuse counselor. Once all three kids graduated from college, she transformed the house into a Bed & Breakfast, with many guests returning year after year from all over the world. After 32 years in Somesville, Binnie and Stan moved to Southwest Harbor, enjoying the “quiet side” of the island.
Through all her years on MDI, she was an active member of the Somesville Union Meeting House UCC, serving on numerous committees and baking pies for the church’s famous pie sales. She especially took great pride in helping establish SUMH as an Open and Affirming Congregation, the first UCC church in the State of Maine to do so.
Binnie shared 61 years of great love and adventure with Stan. She often said that there were so many things she wouldn’t have tried and fun she wouldn’t have experienced if not for him: taking trips together back to their beloved Hawaii; sharing Mardi Gras celebrations with friends in New Orleans; savoring the tranquility of their camp at Spring River Lake; cross-country skiing on Acadia’s carriage roads; or simply packing a picnic and heading to Seawall, their favorite spot to sit and watch the waves roll in…
Binnie found great joy in time spent with her family, with her friends, and in her community. She had the biggest of hearts, a unique openness and ability to provide love and support to many. Her door was always open and her cookie tin full. She deeply cherished the friendships she made and kept throughout her life and is particularly remembered for her fondness for writing and mailing countless cards to friends and family. Her kindness, bright spirit, and wonderful laugh will be missed by all who knew her.
Binnie is survived by her sister, Nancy Fitch Trippe, her children, daughter Karen F. MacDonald and wife Jaye L. Martin, son David R. MacDonald and wife Caroline M. Pryor and daughter Laura P. MacDonald; four grandchildren, Eliza and Jesse MacDonald, Zoë and Charlie Parker; as well as her special exchange-student “son” Arno Kienbacher; and many nieces and nephews. Binnie was predeceased by her husband, Herbert Stanley “Stan” MacDonald Jr.
A celebration of Binnie’s life will be held at the Somesville Union Meeting House on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 3 P.M. A reception will follow at the MacDonald home at 20 Freeman Ridge Road, SWH.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Binnie may be made to: Somesville Union Meeting House, UCC, PO Box 96, Mount Desert, ME 04660 or Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, 14 McKenzie Ave, Ellsworth, ME 04605.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
Annie M. Colby
Bar Harbor
Annie M. Colby, 93, died May 25, 2025, at her home. She was born December 2, 1931, in Machias the daughter of Gilbert J. and Lois T. (Johnson) Stanhope.
Annie worked as an animal care technician for the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor for 20 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bar Harbor for over 30 years.
She is survived by her son Richard Kelley of Ellsworth; four daughters, Lois Lenfestey and husband Chet of Belgrade, Narda Walker and husband Ivan of West Tremont, Gwendolyn Tracy and husband David of Bucksport and Teenia Colby of Franklin: 13 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren; a brother Richard Stanhope and four sisters, Kate, Louise, Judy and Beverly; many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 19 years, Stanley P. Colby, and four brothers Gibby Jr., Arnie, Millard and Dale.
Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m., June 14, 2025, at Ledgelawn Cemetery, Bar Harbor. Those who desire may make contributions in Annie's memory to the First Baptist Church, 46 Ledgelawn Ave. Bar Harbor, 04609.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
Caroline Ames Herter
Bar Harbor
Caroline Ames Herter, died peacefully after a short illness on June 12 at her home in Bar Harbor, Maine. She was 70.
She had established Herter Studio and Caroline Herter Publications, where she developed and packaged books that inspired and educated women, brought on laughter, challenged authority and had a sense of playfulness. She was an avid and adept downhill skier always ready to take on the next black diamond slope leaving her friends in a dust of snow. She was an adventurous kayaker and a nervous sailor, loved to drive fast (in more than a car), never turned down a chance to be on horseback, could dance up a storm, and was a nature lover extraordinaire.
Caroline was most at ease walking in the woods at her family home on Pretty Marsh Harbor with a pair of clippers in her hands, always searching to carve out the perfect water view from her porch perch. Laughter was her medicine, books were her fuel, love was always in her heart—even when she was a challenge. Caroline was amazing as she overcame many obstacles, again and again—always challenging herself to "fail better."
She is survived by her sister, Brooke and her husband Dave James, her brother Eric, and her loving nieces and nephews, Frances, Samantha, Sam, and Peter and their families. Her parents, Frederic and Harriet Herter preceded her in death. Caroline also leaves many loyal friends who loved her dearly and were honored to be loved by her in life. She will always live in our hearts.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
John C. Van Pelt, M.D.
Surry/MDI Region
A celebration of life in memory of John C. Van Pelt, M.D., will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11 a.m. at First Congregational Church, Ellsworth.