Barbara Guild McKernan

BANGOR -- Barbara Guild McKernan, 86, former Bangor city councilor and former president of the Maine Municipal Association, died Wednesday, March 14, 2007, of complications from emphysema.

Born Sept. 4, 1920, in Boston, the daughter of Barbara Thatcher of Boston and Charles F. Guild of Boston, she moved to Bangor during her grade school years. She attended Dobbs School, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and graduated from Nightingale School, New York City before returning to Bangor.

In 1942, she married John R. McKernan. During World War II, Mrs. McKernan worked at the Republican National Committee while her husband was assigned to the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Returning to Bangor after the war, she was active in civic affairs. Upon the death of her husband in 1964, she was publisher for 10 years of the family newspaper, the Penobscot Times in Old Town, before selling the paper in 1974. For the next 21 years, she worked for Eastern Maine Medical Center and Bangor Savings Bank in community relations positions. Even while she worked full time, she remained active in civic affairs, serving on the board of the Blaine House Restoration Committee, the board of directors, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, the Advisory Council of the then Eastern Maine Technical College, and on the Boards of Corporators of Eastern Maine Medical Center, Eastern Maine Health Care and Bangor Savings Bank. She was a member of All Souls Congregational Church. Mrs. McKernan was elected to the Bangor City Council in 1977 and re-elected in 1980. From October 1982 to October 1983, she served as president of the Maine Municipal Association. From 1981 to 1997, she served as a court mediator for the Bangor District Court system. In 1998, she was the recipient of University of New England's Deborah Morton Award recognizing outstanding women with strong ties to Maine.

Mrs. McKernan is survived by her two sons, former Maine Gov. John R. McKernan Jr. of Falmouth and his wife, U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, and Robert T. McKernan of Alexandria, Va., and his wife, Kim, and their two sons, Kyle and Ryan; her brothers, Charles F. Guild Jr. of Brewer and his wife, Frances, Gerald A. Guild of Summit, N.J., and his wife, Connie, and Peter M. Guild of Dallas and his wife, Betty; numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, John R. McKernan; and her grandson, Peter McKernan.

Relatives and friends are invited to call from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 16 at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17 at All Souls Congregational Church, 10 Broadway, Bangor, with the Rev. Dr. James L. Haddix, pastor and teacher, officiating. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor.

Gifts in Barbara McKernan's memory may be made to the Barbara G. McKernan Scholarship, Maine Community College System, 323 State St., Augusta, ME 04330. Condolences to the family may be expressed at http://www.BrookingsSmith. com.