Darcy Gammon Wakefield, a woman who more than once happily proclaimed that she had everything she ever wanted, died Saturday at her home in Cape Elizabeth.

She was 35.

ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease, claimed her.

Wakefield, a native of Livermore, had taught English at Southern Maine Community College. Her stories and essays had been broadcast by Maine Public Radio and National Public Radio, in addition to appearing in a number of publications.

She also authored two books: “I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted – and ALS” and “No Flies on Bill.”

Before she was diagnosed in 2003 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Wakefield had been an active woman who enjoyed walking, running, hiking and swimming. Afterwards, she became committed to raising ALS awareness, hoping that her efforts would help lead to a cure so no one else would die from the degenerative nerve disease that robs people of their ability to walk, use their limbs and talk clearly.

In a recent interview with the Sun Journal, Wakefield noted her exception to the syndrome being identified with the late Lou Gehrig. She said it wasn’t “exactly encouraging or hopeful” to have a disease named after a dead person.

“I can’t imagine ol’ Lou would be too upset by this,” she wrote in her book when referring to ALS as the “Darcy Wakefield Anti-Disease.” “I’m sure he’d rather be remembered for his baseball career,” she quipped.

Having her books published – “No Flies on Bill” was her master’s thesis; it’s about her maternal grandmother, Billie Gammon – and having had her son, Sam, were two of her dreams come true, she said.

A service memorializing her life will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Congregational Church in South Portland.