HALLOWELL – It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Jean Hope Ashline, 84, of Winthrop. Jean passed away on May 14, 2023, after a long battle with complications of chronic illness.

She was predeceased by her beloved parents Richard and Maxine (Colby) Ashline; her brother Gary Richard Ashline Sr.; and her dearly loved husband Robert Caouette. Jean leaves behind her sister, Donna May Martin and husband Burleigh Martin, her brother Dana Colby Ashline and partner Corinne Zipps; several nieces and nephews, including Lori Bickford, Gary Ashline Jr., Kevin Ashline, Lisa Soucy, Corey Ashline, Burleigh Jonathan Martin, Michael Martin, Mandy Melville, Sara Gosselin; as well as many treasured great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Jean was born in 1938 near the end of the great depression and raised as part of a blue-collar family during World War II. Even in recent years, Jean would recount stories of what it was like being a child during challenging times such as these. She graduated from Gardiner High School in 1956 and was invited to apply for administrative positions at the CIA. She chose to remain close to her family, maintaining employment at A&P in Gardiner and Augusta. The bulk of her career was spent at Sears and Roebuck in Augusta, Maine, retiring after 49 years as one of their most dedicated and valued employees.

Jean made countless friends over her many years at Sears and took pleasure in maintaining connections with them, even in retirement. She enjoyed spending time in Florida at Disney and Daytona and at one point dreamed of working for Disneyland. She loved taking long walks on Daytona beach. She was meticulous with cross-stitching and other artistic crafts and was an avid shopper, adept at finding deals for high-quality products at the best value. She loved all animals, especially cats, and considered them part of her extended family.

Jean was raised, as were her siblings, to value hard work, self-sacrifice, and love for family above all else. Although she never had any biological children, she doted on all her siblings’ children and grandchildren, loving them as her own. She was very much a mother and will be cherished as one by her family for the rest of their lives.

Jean’s Funeral Service will be in the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church Street, Augusta on Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery immediately following services in the Funeral Home.

Arrangements are in the care of the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church Street, Augusta where condolences and memories may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website by visiting http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com

If you would like to make a donation in her name,

please consider the:

Alzheimer’s Foundation

of America at

https://alzfdn.org/

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