Arline Halpin Gove

Arline “Missy” Frances Halpin Gove, of Falmouth, Maine, was born on September 12, 1935, in Reading, Massachusetts, to Dr. Thomas F. Halpin and Arline Mullin Halpin.

Missy met the love of her life, Don, at a church breakfast in Boston in 1958. During his oral surgery training, they began their life together in New York City and then Quincy, Massachusetts, before settling in Portland, Maine, in 1964, and later in Falmouth, where they raised their family.

A graduate of the Boston College School of Nursing, Missy often said nursing was not her intended path, yet it gave her lifelong friendships and knowledge she carried into her most important role, raising her five children.

Missy’s greatest passion was her family. She loved her children and 14 grandchildren deeply and was a constant, engaged presence in their lives. A lifelong learner, she nurtured both her intellect and her spirituality. She was a devoted congregant of Holy Martyrs Church, where she founded, along with her dear friend Barbara Keefe, the Centering Prayer Group, a nondenominational meditation group that brought meaning and connection to many.

Curious and well-read, Missy began each day with three newspapers and spent her afternoons immersed in books, participating in several book clubs. She had a particular fondness for murder mysteries and an impressive expertise in the art of the “perfect crime.” She also loved travel and the arts. For many years, she served as a docent at the Portland Museum of Art, a role she cherished. Her civic engagement included active involvement with the Women’s Political Caucus and membership in the World Affairs Council.

Missy is survived by her children: Maria Gove Tringale (Paul) of Medford, MA; Kathleen Gove (Thomas Snitker) of Copenhagen, Denmark; Matthew Gove (Bevin) of Falmouth, ME; Andrea Gove Martin (Scott) of Sun Valley, ID; and Joanna Gove Smith (Tim) of Fairfield, CT; her brother, Dr. Thomas F. Halpin (Pat) of West Boylston, MA; her sister, Martha Halpin Cunningham of Bridgewater, NH; and her beloved grandchildren.

She was predeceased in 2022 by her husband of 61 years, Dr. Donald F. Gove and her grandson, Mack Martin; and her sister, Mary Halpin Mullen, in 2014.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Martyrs Church 266 Foreside Road, Falmouth, ME on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 11:00AM. Burial will immediately follow the service at Pine Grove Cemetery, Falmouth.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Holy Martyrs Church, the Portland Museum of Art, or a charity of your choice.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com.