YARMOUTH – Linda (Lane) Read, formerly known as Linda Sherwood of Yarmouth, passed away peacefully at Brentwood Manor in Yarmouth on Nov. 4, 2023 from Parkinson’s disease. She was 84.

She was born in Portland on June 28, 1939. Raised at Shaker Village in New Gloucester from the age of 7, she graduated from New Gloucester High School in 1958. She later graduated from Maine Medical Center School of Nursing in 1963. She was a devoted Registered Nurse her entire working career, beginning at the hospitals of Portland, Pineland Hospital in New Gloucester, and finally in nursing homes throughout Cumberland County.

She met her first husband Philip R. Sherwood while caring for his mother in her capacity as a nurse. They bought a home in Yarmouth and had two children during their marriage. She was a loving and important part of the Sherwood family throughout her life.

She later met and married Martin Read, Jr., a tile contractor, where upon her retirement she would help on his tile jobs by cutting the tile for him. They moved to Dunedin, Fla. before returning to Maine in the summer of 2020.

She enjoyed traveling, including to Europe after graduating from nursing school, reading, sewing, knitting, bicycling, swimming, nature, light gardening, home care, and motorcycling. She especially loved the ocean, and would often be found lounging on the beach at Cousins Island in Yarmouth. Linda was a kind, loving, and faithful soul who loved spending time with her family and friends.

She was predeceased by her parents Wilbert F. Lane and Nina L. (Woods) Lane; her brother, Bradley Lane and wife Debra; first husband, Philip Sherwood; parents-in-law Clive and Ruth (Rensby) Sherwood; brothers-in-law Donald, Harold, Gordon, and Earl Sherwood, sisters-in-law Gloria (Sherwood) Young and Lillian Sherwood; and second husband, Martin Read, Jr.

She is survived by daughter, Tanya (Sherwood) Oliver and son-in-law Todd, son, David Sherwood and wife Licia, stepson, Martin Read, III and wife Jan; brothers-in-law Gene Sherwood, Jim, Len and John Read, sister-in-law and best friend Sally (Sherwood) Stowell, sister-in-law Sylvia (Clifford) Sherwood; nephews Jeff Sherwood and wife Paula and Reverend Edward Clifford, nieces Alicia (Stowell) Purvis and husband Eston, Erica Stowell, Betsy (Sherwood) Darling and husband Orville, Tina Sherwood, Dolores (Sherwood) Farris and husband Martin, Jeanne (Clifford) Stwarka and husband Larry, Judy (Clifford) Cohn and husband Peter, Jane (Clifford) O’Brien and husband Michael; grandniece Carly Purvis, grandnephews Chase Purvis and Liam Brown; and life long best friend Diana Keenan.

Per her request there will not be a service. She will remain in the hearts and thoughts of those who knew her, however brief the encounter may have been.

A Nurse’s Creed. Sometimes I forget … why I’m a Nurse and what’s really in my HEART. Sometimes I’m just too busy I don’t know where to start. Then someone holds my hand, and greets me with a smile. They ask if I could stay with them for just a little while. If I can calm a sorrowed heart just because I’m there. Then I’m reminded … why I’m a Nurse. It’s all because I CARE. – Unknown

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