Tamlyn Lee “Tami” McNelly, 57, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, at her residence in Phippsburg, Maine.
Tami was born in Portland on Aug. 9, 1968, a daughter of Leslie A. and Donna V. (Holland) McNelly. She graduated from Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham and Teikyo-Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in biology. She was married to Richard Ranta from 1997 to 2008, giving them two sons.
Tami was dedicated to the family businesses, both Sea Escape Cottages on Bailey Island and Dairy Queen in Woolwich. Over the years she was a reliable and dedicated employee at Goodwill and Cumberland Farms in Bath and Lowe’s in Brunswick. In 2021, Tami found work close to her family at the United States post office on Bailey Island.
Tami’s greatest source of pride was the lives and achievements of her children. She loved her family and would always help however she could. She was a proud member of the Casco Bay Tuna Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Oakfield Snowmobile Club and AA. She enjoyed fishing, camping, snowmobiling, geocaching and crafting, and excelled at puzzles of all shapes and sizes.
Tami was predeceased by her father, Leslie A. McNelly.
Tami is survived by many friends and family whom she loved and was loved by, including her two sons, Conlon Ranta, of Bailey Island, and Quinn Ranta, of Wiscasset; and her mother, Donna McNelly, sister and brother-in-law, Bethany McNelly-Davis and Perry Davis, and nieces, Margaret and Calypso McNelly-Davis, all of Bailey Island.
In memory of Tami, please consider a donation to the Casco Bay Tuna Club. All contributions made in her honor will help support the junior tournament for ages 2-12. Donations can be mailed to CBTC, 135 Maine St., Suite A 102, Brunswick, ME 04011; or made by Venmo @cascobaytunaclub. A memorial will be set at the Bailey Island Cemetery and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are by Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High St., Bath. Condolences may be made online at daiglefuneralhome.com.
