Helen Marston Chater

HELEN M. CHATER
CAMDEN Helen Marston Chater slipped her mooring on November 15, 2023 just after sunset at the Sussman House following a stroke in the company of her daughters and her oldest and youngest grandchildren. She was born at home in Rockport on May 12, 1926 to parents Alice Small Marston and Charles Atwood Marston.
On a winter day, in 1942, she met a young man, Avard "Bud" Chater, from Camden while skating on the Lily Pond in Rockport. Their lives together were inseparable from that point on. They endured World War II and, upon Bud's return from the war, they married on June 15, 1946. They bought a piece of property from Bud's father in Camden at the edge of the Rockport border and built their own home piece by piece. They had three daughters, Sally, Carol, and Karyn. Together they raised their daughters, danced, built camps, grew gardens, raised German Shepherds and honeybees, traveled the world and the coast of Maine, camped, shed, and provided endless support and love to everyone in their world. Helen was an exceptional candlepin bowler and croquet player with a determined competitive streak that belied her gentle nature. Helen will always be remembered for her sparkling giggle, her endless generosity, her amazing recollection of the past, and, of course, her undying love of the Red Sox.
She is survived by her daughters, Sally Kelley of Topsham, Carol Chater and her partner, Stewart Valentine, of Appleton, Karyn Goodwin and her husband, Vaughn, of Hope, grandchildren Katie Winglass, Beth Kelley, Jonathan Priest, Joel Priest, Meghan Bresnahan and Christopher Bresnahan; step- grandchildren Tom and Hannah Goodwin; great-grandchildren Sarah, Ethan, Mae, Clara, Rowan, Gri n, Curtis, Julia, Lauryn, Colin and Alison; great-great grandson, RJ and many nieces and nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, her siblings and most of her friends.
At Helen's request there will be no funeral services. A gathering of family and friends will be held at a later date.
Condolences may be shared at www.longfuneralhomecamden.com. Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain Street, Camden.