Edith Jane (Laughlin) Yonan

PORTLAND – Edith Jane Laughlin Yonan passed away on March 19, 2026, in Portland. She was 94 years old. She was born on April 26, 1931, in Portland, to Ruby and Robert Laughlin.

She attended elementary through high school in South Portland. She graduated from South Portland High School in 1949. She received an associate degree in art from Boston University in 1951 and a Bachelors of Art in Arts and Sciences from the University of Hartford in 1956. She married our dad, Theodore Yonan, in 1954. In 1976, she received her certification in art education from University of Hartford. She worked in a number of fields; she was an art teacher, editor, photo researcher and framer. She also worked at University of Hartford in the alumni office and in several different art galleries.

Edith was a very engaged volunteer. She was the co-founder of South Windsor, Conn.’s Cultural Arts Committee, which brought art of all kinds into the public schools. She tutored children in the inner city of Hartford, and worked with Casco Bay Weekends, for U.N. journalists and diplomats to spend time with families on the Casco Bay islands; she always opened our home to families from all over the world. Edith served on the board of Great Diamond Island Association, and was the president for many years. She also volunteered for Dress for Success.

Edith was a lifelong learner. While living in Texas, she studied at North Lake Community College, took painting and photography classes and went on trips all over the Southwest with her photography friends. When she moved back to Maine, she took a variety of classes at University of Maine, Senior College (OLLI), since its inception, and also volunteered there. She met so many interesting people at OLLI and made such great friends.

Edith was known for her love and dedication to her family, her avid reading, her interest in the arts, her love of gardening and her interest and skills in cooking and baking. While all our neighbors were eating fish sticks and tater tots, she was making Indian food, Mexican food, and, her favorite, Thai food. These were still her favorite foods until the end. She also baked an unending supply of ginger snaps; her favorite recipe. Her children and grandchildren were a bit wary of them, being unsure if they had “expired” years before; where did they come from?

We always like to say that she was the smartest person in the room. Never shy about sharing her opinions, Edith loved a good debate about politics, philosophy, or religion. She was fascinated by ancient cultures, traveled extensively, and spent many hours walking the beaches of Casco Bay or along the Connecticut River bed looking for artifacts.

She was always so beautiful, and looked like Jackie O in her sunglasses and dresses. She had the best smile and engaged with people easily. As a joke, a friend of hers submitted her photo to a beauty pageant. She won and was named Miss South Portland and she still had her trophy! She, at 94, had the most beautiful thick head of white hair!

One of her favorite places on earth was our family cottage on Great Diamond Island, which she and Ted bought almost 70 years ago. She loved the cottage and our family spent the entire summer there each year. Each of her children also loved the island and there were so many meals, game playing, tennis playing, and events at the hall that she shared with family and friends. The Fourth of July on the island was always the highlight of the year for our entire family. She met a few of her best friends at the island and they had so much fun throughout the years. As they got older, being the matriarchs of the island, they proudly zipped around the island on their golf carts!

Edith is survived by her children, Scott Yonan, Lisa Yonan Doocy (Paul), and Jon Yonan (Betsy). She was a proud grandmother to Alexandra Proulx (Mike), Sean Doocy (Alice), Neil Doocy (Devon), Samantha Yonan (Matt), Theodore English-Yonan, and Harrison English-Yonan; and thrilled to be great-grandmother to Tatum Proulx and Addison Proulx.

She is also survived by many cherished relatives, including her sister, Jean Vachon, her brother, Bob Laughlin (Jane); Astrid Yonan, Debra Fournier (Tom), and Gordon Eaton (Dawn).

Edith was predeceased by her husband, Theodore Yonan; her sister, Diana Laughlin; her daughter-in-law, Susan Yonan; and her brother-in-law, Claude Vachon.

She leaves behind many dear friends from her early years in Connecticut and Texas, as well as her time in Maine, including those from Park Danforth, Senior College, and Great Diamond Island, all of whom will miss her deeply.

Edith did not want a service, but thought a Happy Hour on our porch in Maine over the summer would be the best celebration of her life, so we will make that happen.

It is with much gratitude that we acknowledge the administration and all the staff at Park Danforth, both the Independent Living staff and the Clark’s Terrace staff. The respect, attention and love you shared with Edith will always be remembered; she had a wonderful life at Park Danforth with people who cared about her. We also want to thank Northern Lights Hospice; they supported Edith and our family in the last few months of her life, giving her the support she needed and showing her much love.

In honor of Edith, please make or buy a piece of art that makes you happy, read a book that makes you think or play a game of scrabble or cribbage with someone you love.

Edith was passionate about civil rights; freedom and justice and wanted any donations in her memory to be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (https://action.aclu.org/give/now) or Southern Poverty Law Center (https://www.splcenter.org/support-us/.)