Anne M. Senese, 84, a resident of Kennebunkport, Maine, and of Newtown from 1965 to 1994, died January 26 at her home, following a period of declining health. She was born May 9, 1930, in Worcester, Mass., the daughter of John A. and Mary Agnes Bowes Shea.

She attended various schools in Massachusetts, and furthered her education at the Katharine Gibbs School in Boston.

She married John G. “Jack” Senese, May 12, 1951, and together made a home for their family in Georgia, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Newtown, and Kennebunkport.

In Yorktown Heights, she was the founder and director of Yorktown Youth Employment Services, coordinating with local school superintendents and local employers to help youths find part-time jobs.

In Connecticut, she partnered with another woman to establish the annual tradition of putting up a Christmas tree in the Capitol Building lobby in Hartford.

As a visitor for 30 years to the small island of St Barth, she organized the island's first and only library, coordinating with airlines to fly books into the island at no local charge and arranged for retired local nuns to serve as the librarians.

Mrs Senese had an amazing flair for color and design.  She and her husband owned and restored a number of 17th, 18th, and 19th Century homes, for which they considered themselves caretakers of the homes’ histories. Mrs Senese loved to design the interiors, and her work has been the subject of several national design magazine articles.

She was also involved with numerous volunteer projects, the latest of which was working with International Executive Service Corps, onsite in Bulgaria.

Her beloved husband of 63 years; a son, John Senese III of Kennebunkport; three daughters, Kathy Pleasants of Kennebunkport, Jane Longden of Concord, Mass., and Hilary Nimons of Redding; 12 grandchildren, Damian, Amy, Keith, Michael, Matthew, Meghan, Christopher, Jennie, Don, Jack, Jake, and Jesse; and four great-grandsons survive Mrs Senese.

Visiting hours will take place Thursday, February 5, from 5 to 8 pm, at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, Maine. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am, Friday, February 6, at Holy Spirit Parish, St Martha’s Church, 62 Portland Road, Kennebunk. Interment will be in Arundel Cemetery, Kennebunkport.

Should friends desire, memorial donations may be made to Medical Missionaries of Mary, 4425 W 63rd Street, Suite 100, Chicago IL 60629-5565.

Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, Kennebunk.