WESTBROOK – Jane Martin left Mercy Hospital in Portland last week to spend her final days at home with her husband and three children and their families.

Mrs. Martin had terminal cancer and she knew her time was limited.

“She couldn’t wait to get out of the hospital,” said her husband, David Martin of Westbrook. “She wanted to be with her family. She wanted to be in her familiar surroundings. It was very scary, but it’s a relief to know she is not in pain any more.”

Mrs. Martin died early Wednesday after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 70.

Mrs. Martin was remembered by her family as a loving wife and mother who had a positive outlook on life and lived it to the fullest.

She was married to her husband for 49 years and together raised two sons and a daughter. The couple lived at their Westbrook home on Fairmont Road for the past 40 years.

Wednesday afternoon, her husband and Chris Martin, the middle of her three children, laughed and reminisced about the early years. Her son said she was a supportive mother and a role model for them. He said growing up, all of their friends gravitated toward her.

“She was the best,” her son said. “She embraced (our friends) like they were her kids. She was just awesome.”

Mrs. Martin and her husband would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September. He said they enjoyed dancing in their early years and going out to dinner.

“She had a very good sense of humor and a lovely personality,” he said. “She held us together. We have a very tight family and she was the glue.”

Mrs. Martin worked for CVS Pharmacy in Westbrook for the past seven or eight years.

She was a dedicated member of the American Legion Westbrook Memorial Post 197 for more than 20 years. Her husband said she volunteered at many community events and was a longtime volunteer for the Beano games at the post.

“She enjoyed that very much,” her husband said. “She got to know everyone and she enjoyed meeting and interacting with people.”

Mrs. Martin was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. Her husband said this was her fourth bout with the disease. He said she had a “beautiful attitude” as she fought to beat it.

He said they shared a good life together.

“It’s a long time to spend with one person,” he said. “I’ll go on, but I’ll need to learn to do a lot of things by myself. I’m going to be lonely, awful lonely. I always couldn’t wait to get back home. She made my life worthwhile.”

 

Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.com