BLUE HILL, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --- It has been tearful times for people in town, as the community is mourning the loss of three well-known people in Blue Hill who died over the weekend.
51-year old Janet Butler Torrey was the deputy town clerk in Blue Hill for years. She passed away on Saturday morning after suffering a heart attack. The very next day select board chair Duane Gray died at the age of 66.
Friends and family of both people say they were caring and charismatic and loved serving the people of Blue Hill. Janet Torrey lived in the town her entire life and was the proud mother of four daughters.
They say the people she loved serving most were her family.
"I would be at work in the middle of the day and get a text from mom saying 'I love you' and ya know it's so nice," said Nancy Laine Astbury, "she was always thinking of us...every single one of us."
"We were still in a state of shock in a state of grief...trying to plan what we were going to do Monday morning...how we were going to move to fill the void left by Janet's passing," said town selectman John Bannister, "and the next phone call I get is 'You won't believe this Duane just passed'...and you're already numb and now you're even number."
The shock would then continue for Blue Hill on Monday. Former selectman Judy Eaton passed away after a long bought with cancer. She served on Blue Hill's select board many years ago.
Town leaders say for now Duane Gray's seat on the select board will sit vacant. A new selectman will be elected at the next town meeting in April.
Gray owned a pharmacy in Blue Hill and was in the midst of his third term on the select board. He also served on the town's budget committee.
A memorial will be held for Duane Gray inside the gymnasium at George Stevens Academy on Saturday September 29. Memorial services will be held for Janet Torrey on Sunday September 23 at the Blue Hill Baptist Church at 3 p.m.
A fund has been set up in Torrey's honor to support the education of two of her daughters. Contributions can be sent to:
'Janet Butler Torrey Fund' - Care of Ann and Rioux - 211 Turkey Hill Farm Road -- Blue Hill, ME 04614
NEWS CENTER