Beth E. Maginn

ST. ALBANS – Beth Elaine Maginn (née Brahana) passed away peacefully, Thursday, February 11 at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, VT after a brief bout with cancer at 86 years old.

Born in Newport VT on October 14, 1934, she grew up in Newport, Rutland and Bakersfield, eventually leaving for college in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois (one of two women to attend college out-of-state, the firsts ever from Bakersfield), where she graduated with a double major, and met and married her first husband, Lewis Sheridan “Sherry” Spencer. After his death in 1964 she moved with her two sons to Tucson, AZ, and eventually back to Bakersfield, VT where she married Donovan Richard Maginn, the father of her two daughters.

Upon returning to live in Bakersfield, and subsequently St. Albans until her death, Beth taught both music and elementary school in Bakersfield, earned her Masters Degree in education, was a church organist, pianist for musical productions, painter, craftsperson and folk artist, gift store proprietor and a great lover of animals, particularly her dog, Georgie. Beth was beloved by many, over multiple generations, for her friendship, good humor, love of creativity and inspiring so many towards a love of music, art and learning. 

Beth is pre-deceased by her husbands, Don and Sherry. She is survived by her daughter Kate Maginn of Bar Harbor, Maine, and her grandson Fred Sebelin, her daughter Sara Maginn of St. Albans and her granddaughter Cara Maginn of Hazelton, PA, her son Jeff Spencer and his wife Cindy Reid of South Burlington, her granddaughters Hanna Spencer of Burlington and Fiona Spencer of Brooklyn, NY and step-grandchildren Dan Reid and Helen Cox of Burlington, and her son Mark Spencer and his fiancé Christina Campanella of Brooklyn, NY.

Beth will be buried next to Don at St. George’s Catholic Cemetery in Bakersfield this spring and there will be a service at the burial at a time to be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to either The McClure Miller Respite House (https://www.uvmhomehealth.org/hospice-care/mcclure-miller-respite-house/) or the Franklin County Animal Rescue (https://www.franklincountyanimalrescue.org).

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