Rae Maclean Lee

NAPLES, MAINE — Rae Maclean Lee, 81 passed away at The Cedars on the June 7, 2011 after a long illness.

Rae was born in the town of Atherton, Australia on November 11, 1929, to James R and Mabel A Dawson. She attended school in Atherton and then boarding school in Herberton and Brisbane, Australia.

At 24, Rae yearned to see the world and she and a few friends travelled by P&O liner to Southampton, England via Sri Lanka, the Suez Canal, Italy and France. When Rae arrived at Southampton the large ships “Queen Elizabeth” and the “United States” were in port. Rae worked at the Midland Bank in Threadneedle St., London between trips to Europe.

Rae then went to Scotland and worked for the USAF Meteorology Squadron. During this time she learnt to ski in Yol, Norway and spent vacations in Garmish, Berchtesgaden in Germany and Kitzbuhel in Austria. In visits to Scotland and England she visited the areas where her ancestors the Dawson and Maclean families lived in before they moved to Australia in the 1840s. In 1959 Rae transferred to the USAF Base in Goose Bay, Labrador. During this time she met her future husband, Edward Thomas Lee.

Rae married Ed in Wichita Falls, Texas in Nov., 1959. Ed and Rae enjoyed the same outdoor activities and spent many happy times together. They were transferred to Dow AFB in Maine in 1962 and that was the start of their love affair with Maine. This was then interrupted by a stay of two and a half years in Turkey at Karamursel AFB.

After Ed retired from the Air Force in 1967 they returned to continue their love affair with Maine. Ed retired from accountancy work in 1985 and they renovated their cottage at Brandy Pond to make it a beautiful home year round. Rae enjoyed gardening, was good at crafts, loved music and bridge, was an enthusiastic sailor and a good tennis player. Many of these skills were gained from her parents but Ed also had a big influence on her sailing and snow skills. Rae played a violin when she was young and this has been used by her Australian grandnieces and grandnephews. Rae and Ed continued to travel after retirement. Their favorite destination was the Caribbean. Rae only traveled home to her beloved Australia twice as her health restricted visits but these trips were a great celebration and adventure.

Rae may not have had children but her three dogs Josie and two Cobbers were like children to her and they were more spoilt than most children. They gave her much love and their loss was like losing family to Rae.

Rae volunteered and was generous in giving to charities. Rae also valued those friends who helped her during the last few difficult years. They gave her much love and kindness during her life in America and she wanted to say a final thank you to them, particularly Jim and Jan Stanton, Joan Korb, Barbara Adlard, Ed and Mary Yee and Ann Philips.

She was predeceased by her brother Fred in 2009. She leaves behind her husband Ed Lee of Bridgton Maine, her sister Beryl, brother Noel, nine nieces, one nephew and 18 grandnieces and nephews, all in Australia.

Special thanks go to Dr. Charles Carpenter and Dr. Douglas Couper, the staff and many others at Martin’s Point, the wonderful doctors at Maine Cardiology Associates and the staff at MMC Cardiology, the Visiting Nurses, Naples Rescue Unit, and Bridgton Emergency Room staff. They were her heroes.

In lieu of flowers please send any donations to: Naples Rescue, Naples ME 04055; Bridgton Hospital Emergency Room, 10 Hospital Drive, Bridgton ME 04009; or MMC Cardiology Intensive Care, 22 Bramhall St., Portland ME 04102.