Jeannine Doyon Thurston

Jean was born July 30, 1930. Although she was quarantined with tuberculosis for two years, she enjoyed life with her mother and father, Germaine and Omer Doyon, her younger sister Rachel Doyon Shive, and her youngest sibling and brother, Joseph Wesley Doyon. She was a beautiful young woman, becoming the second runner up in the Miss Maine beauty contest when she was eighteen.

Jean met her husband, Bill Thurston, the love of her life, while working as a waitress in Augusta. Bill was attending school and would frequent the restaurant to see her. Jean refused many of Bill’s date requests, until her boss convinced her that Bill was a nice young man and that she should say yes. On their first date, Bill asked her to dance in the living room. Jean was impressed and said she was hooked. They married on April 15, 1950 and raised 6 children together. Their marriage lasted for 71 wonderful years.

Mom was the heart of our home, sacrificing her own needs to give to her family. While Dad worked, mom managed our home. She was a giving, loving, happy and a fun mom. She was always taking us to visit our cousins, or the beach, to our friends, and on vacation in Maine. She did everything she could to give us a great life. She instilled in us the value of family, emphasized that family is always first, and was a caregiver for her own mother for many years. She was strong Catholic and a very spiritual woman, instilling in us the love of God and the importance of our faith.

Bill and Jean bought a home at King’s Gate Club in Nokomis, Florida when they retired and spent 30 years travelling between Florida, Maine and Connecticut. They loved their ever-expanding family. There were many family reunions, holiday gatherings and family vacations. They enjoyed 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren. There was never a dull moment when the family was together.

Jean loved to play poker, bingo, and rummy - and there was always a wager on the game table. She loved lobster with fresh butter, talking French with her sister Rachel, golfing, bowling, snowmobiling and dancing with her husband, Bill. They had many friends and loved going out with “the gang”. At parties and weddings people would circle around them as they jitterbugged on the dance floor.

Jean worked for the rectory at St. James Catholic Church, cooking for the priests of the parish. While raising a large family of her own, she took the time to take the nuns in the convent to various appointments to help them. They commented that it’s always the busiest people that volunteer to help. That was our mom – so giving and caring. Jean enjoyed working in the office of the family business 'MTM', which was Bill's specialized tool making machine shop.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her daughter Debra, son-in-law Brian, her parents Germaine and Omer Doyon, her sister Rachel, and brother Wesley. She is survived by her remaining children, daughter Elizabeth Eddy and husband David of Nokomis, FL, son William Thurston Jr. and wife Christine of Coventry, CT, daughter Linda Gannon and partner David Lucas of Stuart, FL, daughter Lisa Wilson and husband Bob of Nokomis, FL, and BJ Hooker of New Smyrna Beach, FL, her 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date at King’s Gate Club in Nokomis, FL.

For online tributes, please visit www.rtsfunerals.com