Ames, Jill S.

Trenton — Jill S. Ames, 74, died Wednesday evening, Feb. 6, 2019, surrounded by the love and caring of her daughters. She was born Feb. 5, 1945, in Albion, the daughter of Maurice and Beverly (Knox) Scribner.

Jill was a graduate of Besse High School, Albion; a graduate of the PLUS School of Business, Portland; and a certified Project Manager through Digital Equipment Corporation’s project management program. But that was only her formal education: She was a lifelong learner, taking classes in many topics from universities and adult education programs in the many places that she lived, as well as taking and teaching crafting classes, especially in quilting.

Jill spent most of her career working as an administrator, project manager, and program manager in the high-technology industry in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Georgia, Illinois, and California. Her most recent position prior to retirement was as a Program Manager at Sun Microsystems in Menlo Park, CA. Since that time, she held a variety of part-time positions helping small businesses with bookkeeping and administrative tasks, as well as serving customers in a quilt shop.

In her retirement, Jill spent most of her time enjoying her family (and they her) – especially her daughters and her grandson – and passionately pursued her greatest loves: gardening and quilting. In recent years, she belonged to two chapters of the Pine Tree Quilt Guild (Island Quilters and Liberated YoYos), spent countless hours making potholders and pro bono quilt blocks and oncology quilts, teaching quilt- and bag-making techniques to her fellow quilters, attending quilt shows, designing and making beautiful quilt tops for many relatives and friends, and sewing at retreats and with her daughters, who share her love of quilting. She was also a dedicated volunteer in the Master Gardener and Eat Well programs of the University of Maine Hancock County Cooperative Extension. A foe of food insecurity in Maine, she grew produce as part of the Friends in Action garden project of the Master Gardener program, and she taught clients of local food banks to use healthy produce in their meals as part of the Eat Well program. As busy as she was with those pursuits, she always found time to help her daughters with their gardens and to nurture her own gorgeous flowers and a few vegetables.

Jill was a generous, energetic, caring, and fun person. She loved dogs, flowers, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. She was quick with a smile and a kind word for everyone, and she generously shared her knowledge with anyone who wanted or needed it. She was proud of and loved her daughters and her grandson more than anything and was so happy that she was able to spend all but a few years of her life living with or very close by to one or all of them. Her happiest moments were with them—helping them (or getting their help) with quilts or gardens or homework, working on quilting and gardening projects together, and just running errands or having a family dinner for no reason other than the family enjoying each other. She was (and still is) loved by her friends and family and will be well and truly missed.

Jill was predeceased by her mother, Beverly; her father, Maurice; her step-father, Maurice Swazey; and her brother, Charles Collins. She is survived by her daughter, Andrea L. Ames and her companion, Douglas Harber, of Lamoine; daughter, Wendy L. Ames and her husband, James Neilson, of Ellsworth, and grandson, Nicholas M. Vazquez of San Jose, CA; ex-husband, Dale M. Ames of Ellsworth; brother Maurice (Bud) Scribner and wife Marlene of Clinton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Jill’s daughters and grandson will celebrate her life in the Ellsworth area at a date in the spring to be announced. All are welcome, and those who wish to join them may contact Andrea Ames at 216 High St #302, Ellsworth, ME 04605 for notification when the event is scheduled. Jill touched so many lives in large and small ways and will be most remembered for her love and dedication to her family and friends, for her affection for quilting, and for her selfless contribution to the Master Gardener and Eat Well programs of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Hancock County. 

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may contribute in memory of Jill to those programs via their online donation page, https://bit.ly/2RRhDkD, by indicating that 100% of your gift should go to the “Hancock County Fund” and specifying that the gift be given “In Memory Of” (from the “Tribute Type” under “In Honor/Memory Of”) Jill Ames (“Honoree Name”). If you would like Jill’s family to be notified of your gift, include “Andrea Ames, 216 High St #302, Ellsworth, ME 04605” in the space below “Honoree Name.”

Arrangements by Acadia Burial & Cremation Direct, 248 State St. Ellsworth.

Condolences may be expressed at www.acadiacremation.com