Shaker librarian dies at 88

The Shaker religious movement has lost another member as its final active community in the United States mourns a key figure in its history.

Sister June Carpenter died Tuesday in New Gloucester, Maine. She was 88. The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village announced that Carpenter had been dealing with health issues and limited mobility in recent months.

She was one of two original members remaining at Sabbathday Lake alongside Brother Arnold Hadd. The group has grown slightly since then. Sister April Baxter joined as a full member last year. Mac Imes entered as a novice earlier this year.

Sabbathday Lake is the only functioning Shaker village left. The group traces its roots to the late 1700s, when Mother Ann Lee founded the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing. Once thousands of members lived in communities across multiple states, but the population dropped sharply after the Civil War. Only this small group has survived to the present day.

Carpenter was a trained librarian who played a central role in preserving the village's records. She earned a master's degree in library sciences from Simmons College. In 1988, she visited Sabbathday Lake for a library dedication and offered to help with the catalog. She became a full member the following year.

Her work made the village's historical documents and writings accessible to outside researchers. David Richards, the curator at Sabbathday Lake, credited her efforts with ensuring the Shaker legacy could be studied for future generations. He noted her quiet impact on the community, stating, “If the meek are to inherit the earth then she will get the whole thing.”

Beyond her archival work, Carpenter maintained the village gardens and cared for the local birds and cats. She also visited other Shakers in nursing homes. The community cited her steadfast faith and kindness toward all living things in its announcement of her death.