Janet L. Foley

PORTLAND - Janet L. Foley died peacefully Wednesday Nov. 21, 2018, comforted by the presence of her family. She was born in Saint Johnsbury, Vt. Sept. 3, 1941, the daughter of the late Trygve C. and Evelyn M. Christiansen.

Her family moved to Portland where she attended schools beginning at Nathan Clifford Grammar School and continuing on to Deering High School, as a member of the Class of 1959. She retained close friendships with classmates throughout her life.

Janet was a strong, loving woman dedicated to raising four children in an era when homemaking was giving way to women having careers outside the home. She enjoyed many summer days on Casino Beach with her young children and family visits to then Jordan's Beach as they grew older. With the children sufficiently grown, she became a successful business owner, opening Far Far's Danish Ice Cream shop in Cape Elizabeth. She employed her son Sean and many local high school students who, in their first job, were given much responsibility and rose to positions of supervision and trust.

She made the time to attend her children's sporting events, chilly Spring Little League games at Family Field, swim meets with high pitched voices of young boys and girls bouncing off tiled walls at the pool, concerts, talent shows and plays in school auditoriums. Janet balanced business management with the role of supportive wife, loving mother and compassionate caretaker for members of her family in ill health, all the while maintaining her sharp wit, and unique sense of humor.

Janet had a keen sense of style and color coordination, decorating our homes with functional antique furniture, original paintings and authentic folk art. She was well known by antique dealers and a regular shopper at regional shows, searching for items she described as having "the look." In recent years, she created hooked rugs as a member of "Tin Peddlers' and "Hillside Hookers."

Janet had the gift to initiate conversations, ask questions, banter and engage others immediately. Above all she loved her family and was loved in return.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years Thomas A. Foley of Cumberland; children Michael T. Foley of Denver, Colo., Catherine E. Martin of Greenwich, N.Y., Sean J. Foley (Catherine B. Foley) of Lyman, and Matthew M. Foley of Cumberland; her brother Trygve C. Christiansen of Ipswich, Mass., her sister Andrea Christiansen of South Portland; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

We thank Doctor Steven Dobieski for his years of kind and insightful care as Janet's primary care physician, doctor Joseph Wight, her cardiologist who protected her ailing heart, and the doctors, nurses and staff of station 2B at Mercy Hospital for the compassionate care she received in the final days of her life.

A celebration of Janet's life will be held at Lindquist Funeral Home on Wednesday Nov. 28, at 10 a.m. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Lindquist Funeral Home, One Mayberry Lane in Yarmouth, ME, 04096. 846-4011.

Friends and family are invited to share their memories and offer their condolences by visiting Janet's online guestbook at www.lindquistfuneralhome.com