Obituary

Jane Johnston, obituary

Tue, 09/23/2014 - 11:00am

ROCKLAND — On Sept. 20, 2014, Jane P. Johnston left her temporary home on earth for her eternal home in heaven.

Born in Rockland on May 29, 1924, she was the daughter of Neil B. and Gladys French Packard. She attended Rockland schools and was a 1942 graduate of Rockland High School. Jane lived in Rockland for 79 years before moving to Cushing in 2003 to live with her daughter, Janet.

Growing up on Camden Street, Jane made life-long friends with Julia Mealey Bracket, Marie “Sis” Dodge Reed, Ruth Carter Low and Norma Philbrook Dugay. During high school, Jane worked at JJ Newbury, and for several years was a secretary in the local Maine Extension Service Office. There she met Marjorie Wiggin Kalloch, who worked in the same building, and their friendship grew strong. Jane had many fond memories of her life with her many friends.

In 1946 Jane married Owen W. Johnston. They were married for 37-1/2 years before his death in 1983. During those years they raised three daughters. Jane, a stay-at-home mom, enjoyed having her children's friends play at her home. She also took great joy in baking, sewing, knitting and crocheting. Friends and family enjoyed her famous peanut butter fudge, her knitted dish clothes and crocheted towels. Jane was also a volunteer at the old Knox Hospital, assistant Sunday school superintendent at Littlefield Memorial Baptist Church and president, secretary and treasurer of her Fidelis Sunday School class over many years.

In 1963 Jane and Own purchased and operated Lloyd Drug on Main Street. For the next 10 years they worked side by side, providing the local community with quality care and service. It was work they both enjoyed.

In her later years, Jane enjoyed spending time on her porch with family and friends, watching the wildlife and the birds at her feeders.

For the past year and half, Jane made many new friends who loved and cared for her, including Joanne Genthner, Nancy Lehman and Brenda Winslow, as well as those at Windward Gardens and the Knox Center for Long Term Care. She was always happy and loved by everyone. The family deeply appreciates the excellent care she received.

Jane was predeceased by her husband; her sisters, Ruth Barrows and Peggy Ilvonen; her brother, Ronald Packard; her nephew, Neil “Buzzy” Barrows; and her good friends, Dennis Pires and Doris Jackson.

She is survived by her three beloved daughters, Ruth-Ann Edwards and her husband, Howie, Janet Johnston and her friend, Larry Hazen, and Mary Shepard and her husband, Neal; her seven grandchildren and their spouses, Jeffrey Owen Edwards (Caroline Ames), Ainsley Coll, Nancy Pauley (Scott), Amy Furr (Shawn), Alicia Jane Shepard, Jessica Shepard (Andy White), Joshua Shepard (Kashia), and Jana Ctverackovi (Karel); 16 great-grandchildren, Brianna, Sarah and Hanna Edwards, McKenna Coll, Ashleigh, Kathryn, Andrew, Nathaniel (Chasity) and Jacob Pauley, Noah and Avery Furr, Christina, Kasey, Oren and Owen Shepard, and Cody Melanson; three great great-grandchildren, Kierstyn, Hazen and Elijah; her special sister-in-law, Cynthia Packard; two cousins, Jeanne Ulrich and Nancy Ogden; and her dear friends, Nelson Bellissimo, Lois Teel and Bernard Jackson; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to visit Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St. in Rockland. A funeral service will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. at Littlefield Memorial Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Littlefield Memorial Baptist Church Library Fund, 1 Waldo Ave., Rockland, ME 04841.