Jean Leighton June 3, 1926 December 27, 2011 Scarborough - Jean Leighton died peacefully the evening of December 27, 2011 after a short struggle with cancer. She was very grateful that she could do so with her family around her and in the care of the wonderful staff at Gosnell House in Scarborough. Jean was born to Carl and Cores Cronkhite in Portland on June 3, 1926. She spent her youth in Portland, graduating from Deering High School in 1944. Her father served in Europe during World War II and after the war took Cores and his three girls with him as commander of army bases in Trinidad and Puerto Rico. After returning to Maine Jean wed Paul Leighton of Westbrook. They lived in Boston and Melrose, Massachusetts and then moved to South Portland. The marriage ended in 1959, and Jean was left to provide for her three young boys on the salary of a secretary. A woman of strength, hard work and common sense, she successfully juggled her full time work as a secretary with the time needed to care for her three sons. She was aided by her younger sister, Carol Cronkhite, who provided not only valuable support in raising her children but also became her inseparable best friend through the coming years. Jean was grateful for the many good things in her life. In the 60's she went to see the Beatles not once or twice but three times. Thanks to her hard work and thrift she was able to save enough money to rent a camp on Little Sebago for many, many summers and treasured seeing her sons enjoy their summer vacation. She continued this tradition with her two grandchildren, Jacob and Michael, who were the joy of her life and whom she shamelessly spoiled and provided with ""rule free"" vacations. With her travel partner Carol she visited England nine times ands felt she knew parts of London better than Boston. She also made a number of trips to Las Vegas, not to gamble but to enjoy the ambiance and the entertainment. She found a wonderful place to work at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging where she was secretary for 25 years for two wonderful Executive Directors, Don Sharland and Larry Gross. She retired from SMAA at age 72 but continued working as a volunteer at SMAA right up until this fall. Her volunteering activities also extended to the Hall School in Portland where she spent many a year volunteering in Faith Beal's second grade class, reading to the children and providing a grandmother's touch and support for the young students. The fullness of her life as a senior was unfortunately clouded by her younger sister's premature death in 2009 from cancer. After her cancer diagnosis in November she made it plain to all that she had lived a good long life and had no fear of death. Her only request was to leave this world clear of thought and free of pain, and she did. Jean is survived by her three sons, Eric Leighton and wife Debbie Coombs and her son Robert of South Portland; Chris Leighton and wife Jacqueline Alpert and their son Jacob of Freeport; and Jeffrey Leighton of Portland, his son Michael and Michael's mother, Deb Roderick of Portland; and her sister Barbara Ann Graves and husband Robert Graves of Trenton. The family is hosting an afternoon of remembrance on Saturday, January 7 at DiMillo's Restaurant on Commercial Street in Portland from 1:00 to 4:00. The family looks forward to hearing and sharing stories of Jean's life. Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care, 660 Brighton Ave in Portland. To offer words of condolence to the family, sign a guest book and share memories, go to the obituary page at www.independentdeathcare.com In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in Jean's name to Southern Maine Agency on Aging, 136 US Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074. Finally, the family extends its profound appreciation to the Gosnell House and their marvelous staff. We are all truly blessed to have such a resource available to us here in southern Maine.