Geraldine M. Canning

Cumberland Foreside, Maine. Geraldine McDonough Canning passed away peacefully in her home on January 16, 2015 after a long illness. Gerrie was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 27, 1935 to Walter M. McDonough and Florence Murray McDonough and educated at the Academy of Notre Dame in Roxbury and Regis College in Weston. She married Charles Canning, Jr. of Augusta on December 29, 1956 while he was serving in the U.S. Navy. The couple lived in Athens, Georgia, Long Beach, California and North Quincy, Massachusetts before settling in Augusta, Maine and raising six children. Gerrie was a passionate and loyal supporter of her entire family, attending sporting events, concerts and recitals whenever and wherever possible. She was a voracious reader and film buff, sharing her picks with a wide circle of like-minded people. Most received regular mailings of clippings and notices, always carefully considered and geared towards ones particular interest or vocation. Gerrie had a special gift for nurturing people in the development of their respective callings, something her children, in-laws, and grandchildren felt keenly. She had a great sense of style refined by more than twenty years work in the retail fashion and home decor industry. She loved to help others create beauty in their lives whether it was a dorm room, first apartment or home, wedding, christening, or party. Gerrie had a fastidious sense of fashion and etiquette combined with an Irish sense of humor and an intelligent wit. A thing had to be done a certain way for the simple reason that that was the way it was done. In order to stay current with her eleven grandchildren, she readily embraced all forms of social media from Facebook to Instagram. From this vantage point, she was able to monitor and comment on everyones activities, delighting in the fact that she had intelligence on her grandchildren that even their parents were not privy to. Gerrie was predeceased by siblings Eileen Turner, Roberta Joyce, George McDonough, Walter R. McDonough, and Thomas McDonough. She is survived by her children Marybeth, Charlie, Alice and husband John Senko, Gena, Keith and wife Maria, and Kevin; grandchildren Ella, Dave, Mateo, Holly, Anna, Grace, Jane, Sofia, Isabel, Michael and Christopher; brother Edward McDonough and wife Brenda of Pembroke, Massachusetts, former husband Charles Canning, Jr. of Portland, college roommate and best friend Linda Donovan and husband Jim of Plymouth, Massachusetts; cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends. The members of Canning / McDonough Family would like to express their thanks to the caregivers who looked after Gerrie with such devotion over the past year and a half. In particular, we would like to thank Shelly Hanson who achieved grandchild status in Gerries eyes, Debbie Harmon, and Andrea DuPont. Thanks also to Dr. Jim Kirsch, Glen Gervais and Gerries neighbors at Rockwood Condominiums. In line with Gerries wishes, there will be a private family gathering. A ceremony of remembrance at Popham Beach is planned for the summer. In lieu of flowers, Gerrie has asked that donations be made to Regis College (235 Wellesley Street, Weston, MA 02493), Tri for the Cure (Maine Cancer Foundation, 170 US Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105) or the American Lung Association of Maine (122 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330). God bless. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland.