Clara Marie Foley

Portland - Clara M. Foley, 89, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2016 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. She was born in Everett, MA, the second-youngest of 13 children, a daughter of Michael and Marietta (Mancini) Fortunato.

Clara chose to end her schooling in the seventh grade, to support her family and begin working at a young age. In the 1950’s, she taught hairdressing in Boston, later operating her own salon in Reading, MA. She later bought her own bakery in Reading, and most importantly, throughout her life, she flourished as an artist. A self-taught painter, she was passionate about art, and often donated her work to local fundraisers. After the passing of her husband in 1971, she continued to raise her son and then moved to Peaks Island, ME. She later moved to the island of Madeira, where she learned to speak Portuguese, and immersed herself in the local culture and continued her art.

She moved back to the United States in 1991, and lived on Peaks Island and the Portland area with her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, and she always put others before herself. She took great pride in staying active as long as she could, through activities such as gardening, local exercise classes at the YMCA, and daily walks.

She is survived by her son, Robert Foley, of Gray ME, and her granddaughter, Brenna Foley, of Seattle WA. Private services will be held by the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook, 449 Stroudwater St. Westbrook, ME 04092.

Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Clara’s online guest book