Obituary of Eva D. Mabee

EVA D. MABEE passed into eternal life while at Harbor Hill in Belfast, Maine on December 19, 2010. Eva was born October 19, 1921 to Austro-Hungarian immigrants in Paterson, New Jersey. Eva had six siblings who have all predeceased her. She worked hard as a child helping raise her younger sisters after her mother died at an early age. Her father, Samuel Ditinick, was a store owner and founder of St. John’s Russian Orthodox Church in Singac, NJ. Eva worked in the store, cared for her younger siblings and managed to graduate from high school. She then went on to nursing school where she earned her RN degree. It was there that she met the love of her life, John R. Mabee, MD, and they were married before he shipped out to serve for two years in the European theater of WWII. Eva received news that John was MIA while fighting in Germany. She was relieved to find he was captured and released at the conclusion of the war. Upon his return, Eva and John opened a private family practice in general medicine. They worked together as doctor and nurse for over 20 years before Dr. Mabee passed away suddenly and prematurely in 1970. Eva returned to work after a brief rest and worked in a nursing home for many years. Upon her retirement she spent many hours caring for sick and dying relatives and neighbors out of the goodness of her heart. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed opera. She loved to travel and went on many trips with her daughter and grandchildren. She loved her visits to her son in Belfast and died overlooking Belfast Harbor. She is survived by her son, Jeffrey Mabee of Belfast, Maine and her daughter, Joan May of Lafayette, New Jersey and Mt. Dora, Florida as well as her five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She will be at Gaita Memorial Funeral Home from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on December 28th. The church service at St. John’s Russian Orthodox Church in Singac, New Jersey will be at 9:30 a.m. on December 29th, and she will be interred at Laurel Grove Memorial Park in Totowa, New Jersey immediately after the church service. A repast will be held at the Russian Hall in Singac. Special thanks to all those who gave her such wonderful care at Harbor Hill. Local arrangements are under the care of Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Avenue, Belfast. On-line condolences may be offered at www.ripostafh.com.