Janet May Hyland

AUBURN – Janet May Hyland, 86, passed away peacefully with family at her side on July 22, 2020, at Androscoggin Hospice Care. She was born December 5, 1933, in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Raymond and Naomi May. She grew up in Cleveland with her brother Tony, where she graduated from Fairview High School and worked as an x-ray technician.

She married Charles Hyland in 1954, and began raising her family. She loved being a homemaker and excelled at cooking, sewing and decorating. Family moves brought them to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania then back to Massachusetts, where she got her two youngest, Amy and Jay, involved in 4-H. Although raised as a city girl, she dove into being a 4-H mom while raising pigs, chickens, and sheep and attending sheep and horse shows at all the local fairs. She and her family moved to Maine in 1974. She loved recovering the character of their antique home in Falmouth, and had a life-long passion for antique collecting and refinishing.

She was happiest when she was caring for her children and grandchildren. Her passion for raising children brought her to become a foster parent with her best friend Nancy Brooks. Together they welcomed 28 children, from newborn to school age, into their home on Hills Beach in Biddeford. At the same time, they had an antique store in Arundel, where the pair sold the many of their finds. Janet kept in contact with many of her foster children over the years, even traveling to North Dakota for her foster-daughter Sara’s wedding.

After leaving Maine to spend several years in Florida, Janet returned to Maine to be near her family. She loved getting together for cook-outs and boating at Eric’s on the lake, where she was often the life of the party. She loved her dogs, especially Molly who came to visit her at Woodlands Memory Care in Lewiston where she spent the last several years. The family wishes to express their thanks to the staff at Woodlands for their compassionate care.

Janet leaves behind her children, Mark and wife Faye of Poland Spring, Eric and wife Debbie of Falmouth, Amy of Windham, Jay and wife Lori of Readfield and her seven beloved grandchildren Casey and Sarah, Ethan and Matt, Sage, Emma and Quinn, and two great-grandchildren, Evelyn and Griffin.

She was predeceased by her parents, her step-mother Josephine May, her friend Nancy Brooks, and her brother Tony May. A celebration of life will be held at a later date when her family can join together.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate in her memory to Westbrook Animal Refuge League, 217 Landing Rd.,

Westbrook, ME 04092.

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