Carol Hooper, 73

Carol Hooper

RAYMOND — Carol Hooper, 73, passed away peacefully on Oct. 20, 2019, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough after a brief battle with cancer. She left this earth within a week of her diagnosis.

Carol was born in Portland on June 12, 1946. Her parents were Emilio and Leona D’Arcangelo. Prior to moving to the Little Falls area in Gorham, the family lived in Portland for one year and South Portland for three years. Carol attended Gorham schools, graduating from Gorham High School in 1964. She then attended the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree and a teaching certificate. Summers until high school were spent at camp on Long Lake in Harrison, swimming, boating and water skiing. While growing up, Carol and her brother Mike spent as much time during the school year as they could at their grandparents’ farm in Bridgton. There, Carol helped with caring for animals and she and her brother and sometimes cousins explored the surrounding woods and fields. The family snow skied at Pleasant Mountain (now Shawnee Peak) in Bridgton and later at Sugarloaf, enjoying many fun-filled weekends with family and friends.

From a young age, Carol always displayed a deep love and connection with horses, including at the tender age of three leading her grandfather’s horse, Major, to the brook and back to the barn at the Bridgton farm. Whenever she could she found ways to ride including riding lessons on her birthdays and volunteering to care for horses owned by a local horsewoman. Along with horses, Carol loved dogs and always had at least one dog in her life, the latest being Josie, a rescue dog, who Carol adopted in 2017. In summers, while in high school, she worked at various summer camps and resorts teaching riding and leading trail rides. She had many great stories about trail rides and horses gone astray.

fter college, Carol taught elementary school in New Hampshire and, after deciding school teaching was not for her, returned to Maine and got a job as a secretary for a small local insurance company. From that entry level position, Carol worked her way up and became a commercial underwriter and worked many years in Maine for Hanover Insurance Company, a position she loved and valued. Along the way she received many awards and accolades. She served as president of the Maine Women’s Insurance group for numerous years and taught certified classes on many occasions.

While living in Maine, Carol always managed to own at least one horse, and in more recent years co-owned a rambling farmhouse in Standish, where she was able to stable and graze her multiple horses.

Upon her retirement in 2008, Carol traveled and did volunteer work for Hearts and Horses in Buxton, helping handicapped riders learn and improve their riding skills. She loved her work there and had many fond memories of friends made and people she helped doing the sport she loved. During her mother Leona’s last years of life, Carol spent much of her time at her mother’s Raymond residence, providing almost full-time care for Leona, which was immensely appreciated by mother and brother alike.

Carol was predeceased by both parents.

She is survived by her brother, Mike D’Arcangelo and numerous cousins and multitudes of friends. She will be deeply missed by the people and animals who knew her.

Carol requested no funeral. A memorial visitation was held on Friday, Oct. 25, at the Windham Chapel of Dolby Blais & Segee, 434 River Road, Windham, ME 04062, and burial took place on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Forest Hills Cemetery in Bridgton. To express condolences or participate in Carol’s online tribute, please visit www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com