Jean Hammond Mayhew Carter

PORTLAND — Jean Hammond Mayhew Carter, 87, a highly respected and loved woman, died Nov. 10, 2012 in Delaware at her daughter Ruth Mayhew Evan’s house, with three of her daughters by her side. She will be greatly missed.

Jean was born on May 30, 1925, in Thomaston, to Marie Keller Hammond and Carlton Howard Hammond.

Jean grew up in South Portland, the second of five siblings. She worked for the Red Cross, N.E. Shipyard, Sealtest Ice Cream, and the Post Office.

Jean married Stanley Joe Mayhew after the war. Jean and Joe raised their eight children (Linda, Kathleen, Laura, Louise, Michael, Brian, Joanne, and Ruth) in Falmouth.

In addition to being a homemaker, Jean was very active in her children’s educations and was instrumental in insuring all her children completed higher education. Jean was a Brownie and Cub Scout leader. She was a member of the school board for nine years.

Always interested in local politics, she successfully ran for town council, retiring from the council after having served as the chairman for several years.

Jean’s husband Joe died in 1980.

In 1986, Jean married Thomas Carter who had three children, Hal, Anne and Bob.

Tom and Jean, in their retirement, had the opportunity to travel the world and they embraced it, going to China, Russia, Europe, and South America. Jean and Tom moved to Raymond, where Jean became active in Raymond community issues. She served on the Cemetery and Town Planning Committees.

Tom Carter passed away in November 2011. She was also predeceased by her brother, Norman.

Jean will be greatly missed by her siblings, Carlene Farr, Malcolm Hammond, Cynthia Grady and Richard Hammond; her children; 27 grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

She will be remembered as an enthusiastic participant in life, a motivated woman who spent her life working to make a better place for those in the community.

There will be a memorial service for all friends at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1, at the SMCC McKernan Hospitality Center, with a celebration to follow from 3 to 5 p.m.