Jane M. Corcoran

Portland-Jane Marie Coughter Corcoran died peacefully on February 14, 2016 at Seventy-Five State Street of old age. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 3, 1919, daughter of Peter R. and Grace Byrne Cougher. She grew up in Springfield and seasonally in her beloved Berkshire Mountain towns of Pittsfield, Lennox, and Lee. She studied at Classical High School in Springfield and was a graduate of St. Annes Academy, a French-speaking convent school in Marlboro, Massachusetts and Bay Path Junior College in Longmeadow. As a young woman, she worked in the executive offices of several war-related businesses during World War II. She later was awarded the Bachelor of Science degree from St. Josephs College in Windham, Maine and embarked on a teaching career. In 1943 she was married to John F. Corcoran, who was then a Naval officer from Portland. They were residents of Falmouth Foreside for over fifty years where they raised their children, participated in community life, and enjoyed the natural world. Jane loved being at her summer cottage at Pemaquid, Maine. Mrs. Corcoran was a substitute teacher, taught business education in the Manpower Training Program, and was on the faculty of Yarmouth High School for many years where she was a beloved teacher. She was a believer in land conservation and was engaged with The Nature Conservancy Maine Chapter and with Maine Audubon Society where she was a longtime volunteer. She was a member of the Portland Country Club for sixty years. Her sister Catherine Grace Jackson of Longmeadow, Massachusetts survives her as do her children Christine C. Cantwell of Portland, Maine and Peter Blaze Corcoran of Sanibel Island, Florida; a grandson Jonathan Byrne Cantwell of Washington D.C. and a granddaughter Hillary Cantwell of Portland; and two great-grandchildren. Her husband predeceased her in 2001. Burial at Pine Grove Cemetery and a Memorial Service at Gilsland Farm Maine Audubon Sanctuary will be held in the spring. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland, ME. To view Janes memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ctcrawford.com For twenty-one years, she was a survivor of a massive stroke that left her partially paralyzed and limited to a one-word vocabulary. Those to whom she said yes! will miss her. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mrs. Corcorans memory to: Maine Audubon 20 Gilsland Farm Road Falmouth, ME 04015 https://lynx.maineaudubon.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=298 or Seventy-Five State Street 75 State Street Portland, Maine 04101