June Francis Miller Coffin 1926 – 2020 BRUNSWICK – June was born in Biddeford on July 19, 1926, the daughter and only child of Frank Edward Miller and Edith Draycott Miller, her English mother who came to the US in 1908. She died Dec. 1, 2020. She was raised in Kennebunkport where she often sneaked out for tennis etc. with friends. She graduated from Fryeburg Academy where she met her future husband, Robert P. T. Coffin, Jr. of Brunswick. She attended the University of New Hampshire for a short time, leaving to elope with Bob and marry in Brunswick in1945. She and Bob lived in Jacksonville during his war service and returned to Brunswick while Bob completed Bowdoin College. Many of her close life long friendships were forged during their years in Brunswick. Her husband’s career then took them to St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. and in 1967 to Fessenden School in West Newton, Mass. Following her husband’s death in January 1981, she moved back to Brunswick where she worked for many years at Bowdoin College both in the Student Union and the Walker Art Museum, where she took many students under her wing. She served as a volunteer at the Curtis Memorial Library, and The Walker Art Museum and was active with The Pejepscot Historical Center. Born of an English mother and having lived in England in the 50s while her husband studied at Oxford University, for many years June traveled annually to England checking out the gardens, keeping up with the museums, visiting school colleagues and always looking for more of her English relatives. All of her trips with daughter Suzie were with much buzzing around and garden hopping but always certain to stop at the nearest pub by five o’clock for Scotch, As well as her travels she was an avid skier and gardener. She enjoyed annual ski weekends with her entire family and skiing Mt. Cranmore with her friend Herbert Schneider, and during the ‘growing’ season she could often be found tending her perennial gardens in Brunswick. She was predeceased in 1981 by both her husband and one son, Robert P. T. Coffin, III. She is survived by children Geoffrey E. Coffin of Conway, N.H., Alison D. Coffin of Brunswick, Suzanne P. Coffin of Haverhill, Mass., and Nathaniel C. Coffin of Brunswick. Also by three grandchildren, Robert P. T. Coffin IV, Emily Coffin Daigle (Michael) and Katharine Coffin Sparks (Evan); and four great-grandchildren, William H. Daigle, Samuel H. Daigle, Charlotte June Sparks, and Henry Jackson Sparks. Arrangements are in the care of the Brackett Funeral Home, Brunswick. Memories and condolences can be expressed at http://www.brackettfh.com . In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial donation to: Curtis Memorial Library Brunswick, Maine or: Pejepscot History Center Brunswick, Maine or: Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, Maine or: Kennebunkport Historical Society Kennebunkport, Maine or: Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye TN31 6PH, England, UK c/o Fergus Garrett (Exec Director) where head gardener and friend planting memorials in her honor
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