With great sadness, the family of Estelle Mae Townsend Appel shares her passing at age 87 on September 22, 2021 from a long courageous battle with cancer.  The following poem was written by a friend as a tribute to her:

Praise Estelle Appel;  rejoice, rejoice!

She is the lady of our choice.

Her sweet, warm, kind and winning smile

Makes us aware life is worthwhile.

Her gracious ways and generous air

Lift her far, far beyond compare.

Her time well spent fulfilling needs

Denotes a citizen of deeds

Whose scope of action far and wide

Spreads service we all take pride

To have one faithful soul who hears

Our cries for help, and stems our tears.

As neighbor, mother, friend and wife

She lead a full and vital live.

Praise Estelle Appel! Our love she wears

For she is one who truly cares

Estelle was born and raised in Boothbay Harbor to Clarence “Bub” Townsend and Lucille Bradley Townsend. She became an accomplished pianist at a young age and had a beautiful singing voice. She played the violin and could also tap dance. She accompanied the town band and sang at Merrill Auditorium with her quartet.  She was the Girls State representative and graduated from Boothbay Harbor High School as Valedictorian and went on to a business degree at Westbrook College, now part of UNE.

Estelle married Ronald B. Appel Jr. in 1956 and they moved to Danvers, Massachusetts in 1960 where they raised their family. While in Danvers, she began a business called “Creative Concepts,” was elected as a precinct representative to the town meeting for 12 years and was involved with The League of Women Voters. She also led a Housing Authority project in expanding the town’s elderly housing by 62 units. In 1976, she organized the Bicentennial Parade and the following year was chosen as Danvers’ Person of the Year.

In 1972, Estelle and Ron purchased a winter camp at  Sugarloaf mountain ski resort and quickly became an integral part of the community in Carrabassett Valley. Estelle and Ron moved back to Maine permanently in 1977, building a home on Townsend family property at Pleasant Cove in Boothbay and she ran the Chimney Pier Gallery in downtown Boothbay Harbor.

Estelle continued her incredible public service by encouraging development of the Fishermen’s Memorial Park and leading efforts to continue the Fishermen’s Festival where she coordinated the Blessing of the Fleet each year.  She helped establish the Harbor Children’s Center and was an active member of the Lincoln Arts Council and the Boothbay Civic Association (BCA). While serving on the BCA, she was instrumental in developing Barrett’s Park and raising money for many other community projects. She served on the Planning Board of Boothbay for many years and was very active in politics. She was invited to and visited the White House twice. In 2009, Estelle received the Boothbay Harbor Rotary’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

She was extremely smart and well-informed. She was well-read and always up to date on the latest news as well as the most fashionable trends. She was an accomplished seamstress, loved dressing up, was a fabulous cook, could knit and create intricate needle point and embroidery.

In addition to all of these wonderful accomplishments, she was a beautiful person. Everyone who met her was smitten by her smile, kindness, generosity and great sense of humor. She could always be depended upon to do what she said and be where she was needed.  Her attention to detail and preparedness helped her community as well as all of her family and friends to be more successful in their endeavors.  

Estelle is survived by her daughter, Judith A. White; her son, Richard E. Appel and his wife Betsy; her granddaughters, Caroline A. Remley and Elizabeth M. Appel; granddaughter Leila M. Elder and her husband Josh; grandson Richard P. Appel; great-grandson Kievan A. Jones; nephew Jeffrey Townsend; niece Teresa Townsend; and many other in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of life will be held next year.

The family wishes to thank the staff at New England Cancer Specialists in Topsham, Maine and the Maine Health Care at Home Hospice team and many friends and family for the love, care and support they provided Estelle. 

Estelle would be humbled and honored if you would make donations in her name to the Fishermen’s Memorial Fund at P.O. Box 304, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538, or the Boothbay Civic Association at P.O. Box 81, Boothbay, ME 04537.