Jean (Kinsman) Smith

Harpswell, Me - Jean Kinsman Smith, 89, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 3, 2017 in Harpswell.

Jean was born in Wolfville, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia on June 3, 1928 the only child of Harold Belcher Kinsman and Laura (Jackson) Kinsman. She was educated in Kentville, Nova Scotia and attended nursing school in Boston. She graduated as an LPN and in 1949 she married her now late husband Melburn P. Smith, whom she met at the Lenox Ballroom in Boston - their foxtrot would always "bring the house down". Jean worked in Manhattan as an LPN Nurse, a governess, and as a model. She had an uncanny resemblance to Grace Kelly and a voice like Lauren Bacall. When the family moved to Maine, she continued her work as an LPN nurse at MMC, was employed in an antique store, and with her husband, "Mel", founded Maine Paint Service in 1969. 

Jean was a spirited mother to her four children, taking them to dance classes, bluebird meetings, piano lessons, choir rehearsals, and baseball games. She was an expert seamstress who made most of the girl's and her own clothing.  "Nana" was always interested to know what was going on in the lives of each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed making carrot cakes, "burning garlic bread", "checking out" the new boyfriend or girlfriend, and watching the birds out the window of her ocean cottage home explaining to them the kind and daily routines of each. Her Harpswell gardens were her labor of love and were often on the "tour" of neighbors near and far.  Her children and grandchildren were often given projects to do during their visits, which was a great opportunity to be outside and to get to know "Nana" better. Jean also dearly loved her dogs - Lady, Brownie, Sheltie, Cassie and her trusted companion to the end, Smitty.

Jean and "Mel" had a close group of friends with whom they took cross-country trips in their RV, cruises in the Caribbean, travelled to Nova Scotia and New York with their families in campers, and snowmobiled throughout Maine and New Brunswick until Jean was 83!  Dear friends who are now gone include: Peggy Bowker, "Brandy" Brann, Dot and Irv Gerry, Ali and Joanne Hutchins, Charlie and Sue Corson and Bill and Ann Seyfried.  

Jean was predeceased by her husband Melburn P. Smith, who died in 2011 and by her best friend Elaine Orne and her "best friend" cousin Lenore Johnson. 

She is survived by her four children, Kinsman L. Smith and his wife Suzanne, Laura Smith Martineau, her son-in-law Fern Martineau, Jeannette Smith Ramey and her husband Glenn, Regina Smith Wittman and her husband Donald,  She is also survived by seven grandchildren Kristina, Shauna, Elizabeth, Matthew, Sterling, Laura Kate, and Stephen, and by three great-grandchildren, Katelyn, Delia and Cameron. Jean is also survived by her niece Nancy Pia and her husband John from Beverly, MA, and cousins Margaret Brown of Nova Scotia, Gail Cockerill of Ontario, Roselyn Moore, of Centerville, Nova Scotia and many more cousins. Jean also leaves behind her dear friends Roger Bowker and Edna Selberg,, Betty McManus and Paul Boucher, Betty Brann and Jim and Elaine Poitras.

She will be remembered by her family as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great- grandmother. The family would like to extend special thanks to Jean's caretakers who gave so much of themselves over the last year for her care, especially Patricia, who became like a daughter to her.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be forwarded in memory of Jean to the following:

Maine Cancer Foundation

170 US Route 1, Suite 250

Falmouth, ME 04105

Or the

Alzheimer's Association P.O. Box 96011 Washington, D.C. 20090-6011

Visiting Hours will be held on Friday, September 8, 2017 from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Avenue, Portland. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 9:30 am, also at Hutchins Funeral Home. Burial will be shortly thereafter at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.

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