Orono and Steuben — Viola M. (Wowie) Lyman, 92, of Orono and Steuben died peacefully on Friday June 9, 2017 surrounded by her family. She is survived by her sister, Janet Batt; children Tracy, Nicholas, Mary and Elizabeth; and grandchildren Eric, Gordon and Wade.
Wowie was born in Middletown, CT to Albert and Hilda McCutcheon. She attended Skidmore College and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree there. Wowie married John Lyman in 1947 and they were together for 67 years until John died in 2014. She loved her family and friends, horses and dogs, dance, the Maine woods and seacoast, and saw with joy the many small wonders that all offered to her. She touched many people especially with her love of beauty and of life, always taking a keen interest in hearing about the lives of all those who crossed her path. Wowie was a prolific visual artist and taught art lessons to both children and adults until late in her life. She liked to say “you have to really look to see” and “to draw something you have to see what’s all around it”.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Wowie’s life starting at 11 am on July 22, 2017 at 66 Wilderness Shore Rd South, Steuben, ME.
Memories and condolences may be offered to her family at www.acadiacremation.com.
Donations in lieu of flowers or other gifts can be sent to Animal Orphanage in Old Town.
5 Condolences
Dear Lyman family,
We are so sorry to hear of Wowie’s passing.
Our deepest sympathy, Ray and Jane Gizzi
Viola “Wowie” will be both sadly missed and happily celebrated for the full, gracious and creative life she lived. I always knew her as “Aunt Viola” and have many fond memories – especially staying at her wonderful house in Orono, sleeping on a futon for the first time – surrounded by a gallery of Viola’s artwork, and going on long trail rides in the beautiful Maine woods with Viola and my dad – covered in netting to repel the black flies. It was so much fun I doubt we would have even noticed the flies. Cont….
…Cont: I visited Viola and John in Maine a couple of times since then and every visit was very special. It was always a treat to see her here in Middle Haddam as well – especially when much of the family came down for my wedding and stayed at the “rock cottage,” and her last visit here with Mary. We are very fortunate to have one of Viola’s inspired and beautiful paintings in our house – and a collage of her much-anticipated holiday cards. Through these objects I will “see” Viola often and reflect on the privilege it was to know her.
Viola’s passing is a great shock to me, every year when I would receive her Christmas card I was again reminded of her great talent as an artist. I loved her imaginary, colorful, skillfully presented artistic renderings, composed mostly of beautiful scenes of her immediate environment including scenes from her beloved Maine coastal home. The colorful beauty of these artistic messages were expressive of her continuing positive attitude and love of life in her beloved Maine and it should never end. Cont…
….Cont: In my early childhood I was privileged to frequently visit Birchwood I always thought of Viola as my quintessential older cousin. She Was always willing to put up with a young cousin and his friends who loved to visit this beautiful place. Birchwood in my view was a fantasy land. Both her younger sister Janet and Viola had a room full of costumes, paints and other makeup materials. They took the time to paint our faces, (which we often wore home) and dressed us to be a famous person of our choosing . I was very fortunate to have had these rich experiences with Viola before she became a “mainiac” never to return I will miss her.
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