Mary Ellen Dare Farrington

Dare Paige Farrington

1937-2024

Mary Ellen "Dare" Paige Farrington, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, died peacefully at home on December 27, 2024, surrounded by family in the little house she cherished for eight years in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.

Born on September 20, 1937 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Timothy and Virginia Dare Paige, she was raised in Longmeadow, Massachusetts alongside her younger siblings Patricia, Carolyn, and Timothy, Jr.

Dare's life was marked by her passion for family, education, simplicity, and love of nature. She graduated from Classical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1955 before matriculating at Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She later earned her master's degree in education from Tufts University which led her to start a career in teaching beginning abroad in Gstaad, Switzerland where she embraced her love of skiing. When she returned to New England, it wasn't long before she met her husband Frank Farrington from Maine on a chairlift at Stowe, Vermont. Frank and Dare were married in 1963 and moved to Portland, Maine, where they started a happy and enduring marriage of over 55 years.

She taught at Waynflete School in Portland until the birth of her first set of twins, Ann and Molly in 1965, followed shortly by the birth of a second set of twins, Joan and Kate in 1966. They moved to Bangor, Maine in 1971 where their fifth daughter, Virginia, was born. In Bangor, Dare and Frank raised their five daughters at "Maplewood," a home filled with love and laughter. Her daughters will remember running around beautiful gardens, enjoying many elegant Sunday dinners around the dining room table and other special gatherings, including five weddings at home.

Dare had many interests, including tennis, antiquing, bargain hunting, and especially gardening. She found peace and joy in tending to her plants, creating beautiful landscapes, and sharing her knowledge of nature with family and friends. Her love for gardening mirrored her quiet nurturing spirit?caring deeply for her family and the world around her in a unique way. She continued to maintain a teaching certificate for decades with continuing education classes and helped her husband with his business accounting needs.

She spent many summers on Squirrel Island, cementing her love of Maine; however, Dare's heart remained firmly rooted in Massachusetts, particularly on Cape Cod. She spent many joyful summers at her family's home in Wild Harbor, North Falmouth, Massachusetts surrounded by generations of loved ones, forging treasured memories by the sea.

In true New England spirit, her final eight years were spent in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire surrounded by nature and always with family. She lived next door to her daughter Ann and son-in-law Chan who were blessed to oversee her care for the last chapter of her life.

Dare was predeceased by her brother Tim, Jr., husband Frank, daughter Molly Bidstrup, and grandson Collin MacMillan. She is survived by four daughters including Ann Reis (Chan), Joan Guild (Ted), Katherine "Kate" Farrington, Virginia "Ginny" MacMillan (Sean) and son-in-law Peter Bidstrup; ten grandchildren including Franklin Reis, William Reis, Brett Ann Bidstrup, Gage Neirinckx, Dare Guild, Larsen Bidstrup, Isabel Reis, Madlen Guild, Charles Guild, and Ellie MacMillan; and two great-grandchildren, Lowell and Frank Reis. Her family brought her endless pride and joy.

Her legacy of love, intelligence, resilience, and incredible strength will continue to inspire those who knew her, and her unwavering devotion to her family will remain a guiding light for generations to come.

A celebration of Dare Paige Farrington's life will be held at 11:00 AM at the First Congregational Society Unitarian Church, 143 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, New Hampshire with a reception to follow on Thursday, June 5, 2025. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Hampton Falls First Congregational Society Unitarian Church, PO Box 4, Hampton Falls, NH 03844.