AUBURN — Germaine P. Martel, 88, of Lewiston, passed away Monday, February 5, at the Hospice House in Auburn, with her loving family by her side, after a long and life-changing battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Germaine was born in Livermore Falls on May 8, 1929. She was the daughter of Wilfred and Laura Ouellette Poisson. She spent her early childhood years in Livermore Falls, moving to Lewiston as a teenager. She was a 1947 graduate of Lewiston High School. It was at Lewiston High School that Germaine met the love of her life, and her lifelong partner, Louis. He and Germaine were married in Lewiston on August 21, 1948, and together spent nearly 70 years together, nurturing a loving family.

Prior to giving birth to her third child, Germaine worked as deputy register of deeds for Androscoggin County and as a legal secretary at Clifford & Clifford Law Office. She spent the rest of her working life dedicated to raising her five children.

Germaine’s first love was her family. She reveled in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is not possible to calculate the number of hours she spent shuffling her five children to various school and athletic activities. She loved the time she spent with her family at the family camp on Androscoggin Lake in Leeds. She gave countless hours to the Blue Devils Sports Family and Girl Scouts. Over the years she served on various committees and volunteered for the Lewiston High School Alumni Association, American Red Cross blood drives, Special Olympics, St. Mary’s Patronesses and Pathways.

Germaine was an active and vibrant woman, a true competitor and an avid sports fan. She loved to dance, and she spent countless hours with her many friends playing golf, bowling or playing cards. She was member of Fairlawn Golf Course and was an enthusiastic member of their women’s golf league.

Germaine spent the last several years of her life battling Alzheimer’s disease. She was lovingly cared for and loved by many amazing caregivers at The Woodlands Memory Care Facility in Lewiston. To all the women and men who so warmly cared for Germaine over the past 2 ½ years: our deepest and lasting gratitude.

Germaine is survived by her devoted and loving husband, Louis, of Lewiston, who never left her side for nearly 70 years; her daughter, Carol, and her partner, Steve Ziedman, of Merrimack, N.H.; her daughter, Connie Amnott, and her husband, Paul, of Auburn; her son, Jim, and his wife, Tina, of Gorham; her son, Bob, of Lewiston; and her son, Dick, and his wife, Carla Lake, of Auburn; her granddaughter, Kristin Carrillo, and her husband, Jon, of Merrimack, N.H.; her grandson, Scott, of Los Angeles, Calif.; her grandson, Marc, and his wife, Lesley, of Montgomery Village, Md.; her granddaughter, Laura, of Waltham, Mass.; her granddaughter, Sara, of Oxford; her grandson, Jacob Zelmanow, of Gorham; her granddaughters, Jill and Emily Ziedman; her great-grandchildren, Bailey, Madison, Aidan and Ethan Carrillo, Evan Amnott; her sister, Lorraine Vincent, of Gray; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters, Irene Randall, Jeannette Wiles, Pauline Auclair; and her brothers, George and Armand Poisson.

Our family would like to thank the Androscoggin Home Health caregivers who visited Germaine at Woodlands, and to the loving and caring caregivers at The Hospice House in Auburn.

Germaine P. Martel