Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Kilgore, Doris E. "Dot" (Bresette) (1922-1978) |
Other Names |
Dot |
Born |
Apr 23, 1922 |
Birthplace |
Bridgton, ME |
Father |
John Bresette |
Mother |
Frances Bresette (Durgin) |
Notes |
Buried in Cemetery No. 4. Taken from the Winter 2015 Newsletter, written by Catherine Stone: Doris "Dot" Kilgore was a well-known person in Lovell in the mid-twentieth century. She was an exceptional volunteer for many town organizations and worked hard in the woods for most of her life. She also had a very distinct appearance. She was born in Bridgton in 1922, the daughter of John and Frances (Durgin) Bresette, and attended schools there. In 1939, she married James E. Kilgore and together they operated a portable saw mill in the early years of their marriage. They had five children—four girls and a boy. In 1948, the Kilgore family moved to Lovell, purchasing Windy Hill Farm, the former home of Albra & Sarah Lord . Dot explained their move in a 1975 newspaper article: "There always was a strong beckoning factor in Lovell for me. I wanted a town where I could raise my kids." Dot and her husband worked the farm, raising corn and beans for local companies. They also worked for a local contractor weeding and clearing tree farms in the area. While her husband felled the trees, Dot and Roger Brown, who lived with them, hauled the trees away and loaded the logs on trucks. Regarding Dot’s distinct appearance, she was small and thin, with hair clipped short. She wore men’s clothing and was often mistaken for a man. In regard to this common misperception, Pete Fox remembers her saying "If I’m going to work like a man, I’m going to dress like a man." She did. In addition to working in the woods and raising her children, Dot was a regular volunteer for many town organizations. She served as president of the Fryeburg-Lovell VFW Auxiliary, president of the Lovell PTA, and secretary for the Boy Scouts troop. For several years she also served as Lovell’s town constable, a job she took very seriously. Her many years of devoted service were honored in a memorial plaque which the Lovell Historical Society has in its collection. Fred Kinney, who knew Dot when he was growing up, was not surprised to learn that she had served as Lovell’s constable. He wrote in 2009: "Dot was an excellent shot, especially with a pistol. More than once, after supper, Dot and my mother would have some fun. After loading up on some strawberry shortcake, they would load up their favorite pistols and then target practice some. Their favorite time was when either my brother or Dad would throw an empty gallon can of anti-freeze up in the air as high as they could, and they would take turns seeing who could empty 6 shots through the can. Of course, each time the can got hit, it would rise in the air a few feet, and both Mom and Dot would get their 6 shots through the can every time. They both got great enjoyment from that little exercise. It is no wonder she commanded a lot of respect in the area back then with her being so good at target shooting. No one would want to be her target!" In semi-retirement, Dot was employed as a school bus driver. While driving 130 miles a day carrying about 70 children, she wore a hat with her town constable badge affixed to it. She hoped wearing the badge would give the children a chance to know and respect the law. She was quoted as saying a few years before her death "If you can be a goodwill person working with the kids, you’re much more valuable than hauling them in front of some judge". Dot died at the early age of 56. Her husband died three years later at the age of 61. Most likely the years of hard work in the woods shortened their lifespan. Despite her early death, Dot is fondly remembered for her volunteer efforts and her one-of-a-kind character. |
Occupation |
School Bus Driver, Constable Town of Lovell |
Spouse |
James E. Kilgore |
Children |
Merline Davis (Kilgore) Peggy Shaw (Kilgore) Louise Leach (Kilgore) Shirley Keaten (Kilgore) S/Sgt Sam Kilgore |
Deceased |
Oct 14, 1978 |
Deceased Where |
Bridgton, ME |
Related Records
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Dot Kilgore - 2014.44.0001
Dot Kilgore walking beside a parked car at Windy Hill Farm. Taken from Photo CD #10.
Record Type: Photo
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Dot Kilgore - 2014.44.0002
Dot Kilgore standing inside her house on April 21 1967. Taken from Photo CD #10.
Record Type: Photo
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Dot Kilgore - 2014.45.0001
Dot Kilgore standing outside at her farm. Taken from Photo CD #10. Used in the Winter 2015 Newsletter.
Record Type: Photo
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Kilgore, Dot - 1974.02.1038
Information on Dot Kilgore. Located in the file category "People".
Record Type: Archive
-
Lovell Cemetery Records, Volume I & II - 2007.31.0001
An update of Lovell's Cemetery Records, originally compiled by Irene St. Germain in 2006 and 2007. A major update was done in 2015, 2019, and 2022. Volume I has an index of names to be found in all Lovell cemeteries and the details on the #4 Cemetery . Volume II has the details on the Center Lovell Cemetery, Fox Cemetery, Lord Cemetery, North Lovell Cemetery, Village, West Lovell Cemeteries, private cemeteries, and an Appendix. The Appendix con...
Record Type: Archive
-
Obituaries - 1974.02.0692
Nine notebooks of obituary newsclippings, all indexed.
Record Type: Archive
-
Windy Hill Farm - 2022.08.0014
Windy Hill Farm, the home of Albra Lord and Dot Kilgore. Photo taken by Juanita Perkins. Taken from Photo CD #18.
Record Type: Photo
