Lewiston – Gertrude T. DeSanctis, 85, a resident of Schooner Estates in Auburn, died Sunday, Oct. 22, at Central Maine Medical Center due to injuries she sustained in an automobile accident on Friday.

She was born on July 13, 1921, in Rumford, the daughter of Emile J. and Bernadette (Fournier) Roy and was a graduate of Mexico High School in 1939, and St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1942. She received her nursing public health certification from Simmons College in Boston in 1943. She helped in pioneering home health care in Maine.

On April 18, 1949, she married A. Antonio DeSanctis of Lewiston. He passed away on Nov. 14, 1995. She had worked at CMG Hospital early in her career and throughout her life was involved in numerous charities including the Bennett Breast Care Center and Cardiac Care Unit at CMMC.

She was an active member and officer of the Woman’s Literary Union, a member of the Maine Lung Association and Robin Dow. She was a devoted wife and mother and a kind and caring friend to all that knew her. She always felt that “There’s no greater love than a mother’s love.”

She assisted her husband in his building and contracting business in Lewiston. She was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church in Lewiston and was a member of St. Patrick’s Women’s Sodality. She was an avid reader and a very social person. She served as a Republican voting clerk at the election polls. She enjoyed her flower gardens and was a Green Bay Packers and Red Sox fan.

Growing up, she enjoyed being with her family at their summer house at Roxbury/Ellis Pond and later vacationing and fishing with her husband and children in the Rangeley Lakes Region and also many family outings at Bailey’s Island.

She is survived by her daughter, Lita C. DeSanctis of Winthrop; two sons, Angelo A. DeSanctis, and his wife, Marguerite, of Durham and Col. Mario V. DeSanctis, and his wife, Yvette, of San Diego, Calif.; step-children, Vera Marcotte, and her husband, Raymond, of Lewiston, Norma Roy of Auburn and Anthony DeSanctis, and his wife, Pauline, of Auburn; step-daughter-in-law, Frances DeSanctis of Springfield, Mass.; a sister, Louanne Maguire of Charlotte, N.C.; six grandchildren, Angela Lupardo, and her husband, Shane, Alana McCurdy, and her husband, David, Mario V. DeSanctis Jr., Caroline DeSanctis, Rico DeSanctis and Gina DeSanctis; great-grandchild, Vincent Lupardo; stepgrandchildren, Debra Rancourt, Cindy Blackman, Tammy Gilbert, John Roy, Brenda Gauvin, Jeff Marcotte, Randy Marcotte, Pamela Welch, Dino DeSanctis, Marcus DeSanctis, Derek DeSanctis, Keith DeSanctis and Daniel DeSanctis; eight stepgreat-grandchildren; and one stepgreat-great-grandchild.

She was predeceased by sisters, Laurette Blouin and Dorothy Ricci; a brother, Jean Roy; and a step-son, Leo DeSanctis.