Obituary: Jean Ellen Emmons
Jean Ellen Emmons, 91, of Portland, Maine, died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
A lifelong resident of Portland, Emmons spent the last weeks of her life at the Freeport Place Assisted Living facility, where staff from Northern Light Home Care and Hospice tended to her needs. She had previously spent several joyful years in Port Charlotte, Florida, before returning to Maine where she had been raised.
A life of family and faith
Married to Carl Emmons from 1956 until his passing in 1994, Jean raised five children—Debbie, Mark, Diane, Kelley and Jen—who were born on the hospital floor of Mercy Hospital in Portland, where Jean worked as an electrocardiogram technician for many years. She later described her work at Mercy not just as a career but as a place where she “welcomed all five of her children into the world.”
Her love of family extended to a large extended network. She is survived by her sister, Carol; thirteen grandchildren—Joe, Michelle, Andrew, Crystal, Corey, Meredith, Austin, Melanie, Carlene, Benjamin, Meghan, Holly and Erin; and fourteen great‑grandchildren, William, Nora, Mia, Sophia, Max, Landon, Jayce, Luca, Masha, Olivia, Leo, Madison, Theo, Wesley and an upcoming newest addition.
A love that began on the dance floor
Emmons met Carl at a dance held at the Stevens Avenue Armory. They married on October 20, 1956, in Portland, and honeymooned in New Hampshire’s mountains. The couple shared 38 years of marriage before Carl’s death in August 1994. Jean’s obituary notes that the memory of their wedding night still brings comfort, especially as their anniversary approaches.
Simple pleasures and lifelong passions
The ocean was a constant in Jean’s life. She often spoke of the tranquil beauty of Higgins Beach in Scarborough, where she could enjoy the Maine coast. Music was another source of joy: she loved the Boston Pops’ Fourth‑of‑July concert, the big‑band sounds that once accompanied her and Carl’s dancing, and remained a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Celtics. A favorite pastime was dining at DiMillo’s for a bowl of haddock chowder—a dish that reminded her of home.
Memorial and remembrance
Friends and family will gather to celebrate her life at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland, on Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to noon. A burial will follow at 12:30 p.m. in Forest City Cemetery in South Portland, with a reception at Bruno’s Restaurant on Allen Avenue in Portland thereafter. Emmons is remembered as a beloved mother, grandmother, great‑grandmother, sister and friend, and her legacy of love, family, and faith will remain in the hearts of those who knew her.
