STANDISH – It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of Diane Winifred Marles on Feb. 8, 2020. She was surrounded by all of her family when she quietly passed after dealing with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for the past year and half. She had her wonderful sense of humor right to the end giving her family lighthearted laughs and smiles.

Diane was born in Portland and grew up in Westbrook in housing adjacent to the paper mill. She played the saxophone for the Westbrook High School band, though we were told that her performances were not worthy of remembrance. Reading became her favorite pastime and she collected so many books over the years, some which she would never read, but nevertheless collected.

She met the love of her life, Arthur Marles at a Buxton Grange Hall dance and they celebrated 57 years of heartfelt marriage together.

Having overcome many difficult situations in her own youth, Diane was shaped to create an amazing life of social work, aiming to better the circumstances of those around her. This was evident through her work as a licensed social worker for the State of Maine, her care for her family and devotion to her church. She was given some of the most challenging cases during her career and carried out her work with grace and diligence. She was commended by her clients and her supervisors for her dedication and genuine concern for the people that she served.

She worked at Pineland as a social worker until the adoption of her two sons Gregory and Brian. She decided to leave her job to focus on being a truly awesome mother and attend to her family’s needs. The family moved to Campbell, California for three years while the boys were young when a short-term work opportunity opened up for Arthur.

Returning to Maine, Arthur and Diane settled down in South Portland in the Willard Beach area. Summers were spent in Shapleigh at the family camp teaching the boys to enjoy the lake. Diane would pick the boys up on the last day of school, with the car packed and the cats loaded, returning on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend just prior to the start of the next school year. Time in Shapleigh was a solace for her and the family with many fond and wonderful memories that were spoken of until her passing. She occasionally took trips independently at other times of the year to re-center, as well as several trips to the Boston Flower show.

Later in life, Arthur and Diane refurbished her mothers’ seasonal camp on Sebago where they lived full time. She spent many summers in Sebago treading water, hanging laundry (which was something she took pride in always doing) and reading. As Gregory and Brian became more independent, Diane later returned to part-time work in a department store but she was ultimately compelled back to social work for the final 20 years of her career.

A memorable pastime for her, when she was in her 60’s, was bombing around the Sebago Lake on a jet ski. This became an unexpected and well enjoyed love of hers after she was introduced to it essentially on a whim. Her enjoyment of this prompted her and Arthur to buy one solely for her use.

Diane was the creative matriarch of the family, always keeping family members and friends in check with her quirky and unexpected humor. She was pretty calm in general except if someone messed with her boys, then all bets were off. Family gatherings were always festive with food aplenty, many laughs, and wonderful experiences. For many years Thanksgivings were held at their house in South Portland with all of the family enjoying the meal and good times. Diane always made sure that the Thanksgiving leftovers were packed up in foil boxes for individual T.V. dinners to be reheated at a later time. Yard sales on Saturdays became a passion on a weekly basis, always complete with her thoughts on who could use what best of the treasures she’d gathered. If you were looking for her when she was out and about, good luck in reaching her, she was notorious for never answering her cell phone (you were in luck if she charged it) and even if she did you sometimes couldn’t tell whether she was acknowledging your words or comprehending them due to her impaired hearing. God bless Diane, always smiling as if to say, yes, I know what you are saying.

Diane enjoyed traveling to South Carolina during the winter season in her retirement.

Diane’s social work continued when she became active at the Standish Congregational Church. She served on the Missions Committee and the Caring Connection, developing many friendships. She helped prepare many Fifth Monday meals and to no surprise on this one, kept watch over the book room at the Christmas Fair.

Family surviving this loss includes her beloved husband of 57 years Arthur Marles; her two sons Brian and Gregory Marles, her two daughters-in-law Katie and Nicole Marles; five grandchildren Nathan and his wife Carolina, Zachary and his wife Akadia, Tugg, Solveig and Sierra Marles; and one great- grandson Porter Marles.

The family was able to say their goodbyes to a truly remarkable wife, mother, Nana, and great grand Nana. She will be great missed by her family and friends; all with a smile for all of the life enjoyment she brought to everyone she ever met.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 15, 2020 at the Standish Congregational Church, 25 Oak Hill Rd., Standish, Maine.

Arrangements entrusted to Hobbs Funeral Home, Scarborough. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hobbsfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to:

Standish Congregational Church

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