Mariamne Meade Newbold Rublee

Mariamne "Bunny" Meade Newbold Rublee Parthenais

Bunny was born on July 31, 1929 in Washington, D.C. to Mariamne Meade Morris and John L. Newbold. She died of cancer on September 1, 2012, and is survived by her husband, Richard J. Parthenais; her five children, Ann R. Harrington (Orlando, Florida), William A. Rublee (Washington, D.C.), John F. Rublee (Danbury, New Hampshire), Peter Rublee (married to Pam) (Harpers Ferry, West Virginia), and George G. M. Rublee (married to Sandra) (Manila, Philippines). She is also survived by her first husband, George Rublee (Dublin, New Hampshire); her brothers, Clement B. Newbold (Betz) (Lake Wales, Florida), Michael Newbold (Sally) (Cornish, New Hampshire), J. Cheston M. Newbold (Nancy) (Cornish, New Hampshire), her sisters-in-law, Judy Newbold (Jock) and Mary Welby Garrison (Fleming), numerous nieces and nephews as well as her grandchildren, Mariamne Harrington, (Orlando, Florida); Molly Rublee, Megan Rublee, Madeline Rublee, Maisy Rublee, Michelle Rublee, (New London, New Hampshire); and Dylan Rublee, Crosby Rublee and Myles Rublee (Manila, Philippines). Her younger brother, Nicholas W. Newbold ( Washington D.C. ) died in 1988.

Bunny led an engaged life as a wife, mother, intelligence analyst, athlete, teacher, artist, animal lover, and more. She graduated from Connecticut College in 1952 with a degree in history and moved to Washington D.C. where she began working for the U.S. government in the field of intelligence. She married George Rublee, a Washington D.C. based lawyer, in 1954 and had her first child in 1955. Four children later in 1971 the family moved to Panama where she was a noted tennis player and golfer. While in Panama , she realized a lifelong passion to own and race thoroughbred horses - an activity she sustained for the rest of her life. In 1976 in Panama she returned to working for the U.S. Government, now for the Department of Defense, remaining there until her retirement in August 1988. She was one of the leading intelligence analysts for the United States Southern Command receiving the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service in 1988.

She divorced George Rublee in 1985 and married Richard Parthenais in 1988. She and Dick moved to the Mountain Lake community in Lake Wales , Florida in 1988 having escaped the deteriorating political situation in Panama under the Noriega regime. Undaunted by the experience of that chaos, Bunny quickly established herself as a figure at Mountain Lake . She was a keen golfer and artist, and her paintings won numerous awards as well as found places in local and national collections.

Bunny was passionate in her support for the Literacy Council in Lake Wales . She worked tirelessly as a teacher and a fund raiser. She strongly supported the migrant community that passed through Lake Wales in search of a better life. She hoped her English classes aided them in becoming American citizens. Likewise she was a strong advocate for the Polk Community College and served on its Scholarship Board. Together with other residents of Mountain Lake , she helped establish the MLCS Scholarship for worthy students.

In making her final arrangements she was asked what she wanted her obituary to say, she said – “I don’t know yet. I haven’t made up my mind!”