Cumberland Foreside-Margaret “Margie” (Montgomery) Ventresca, 65, Margie peacefully passed away on Monday, May 28, 2018, after a long battle with Multiple Myeloma. She was the daughter of Edward and Bertha (Brien) Montgomery, of South Portland and graduated from South Portland High School in 1971. Margie married her high school sweetheart, George Ventresca, and they had one daughter Christina, who quickly filled their life with joy.
Margie was happy to be a stay at home mom and to spend precious time with her daughter until school began. Margie’s career spanned more than 25 years in the insurance industry, beginning at UNUM and retiring from UnitedHealth Group. The couple also lived in Florida for several years where she worked for the Zenith Insurance Company.
She enjoyed her work and with it the opportunities to continually meet new people, throughout her career she made many lifelong friendships. Volunteering was an important aspect of Margie’s life, from volunteering at school when her daughter was young to raising money for Relay for Life to volunteering for the Beach to Beacon. She also volunteered during retirement at the Yarmouth Food Pantry and Falmouth Land Trust.
Margie also enjoyed golf, weight training, cross-country skiing, bike riding, and hiking, as well as dinners with the South Portland Divas. These get together provided much laughter and love. Margie and George were blessed with the arrival of a granddaughter, Maya in 2012.
She quickly became the light of their lives and was a ray of sunshine during some of the difficult days of Margie’s illness. Margie’s favorite Poem by Bessie Anderson Stanley modeled her own life and beliefs: “To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded”.
The family would like to thank Dr. Winters of New England Cancer Specialist, his staff, past and current, as well as the staff in the front office and treatment room. Their empathy and caring were truly appreciated. Margie is survived by her husband of 46 years George Ventresca, one daughter Christina Ventresca and her husband John Cahalen, one granddaughter Maya Cahalen, her mother Bertha Montgomery, a brother John Montgomery and his partner Paul Weatherbee, sister Susan Getchell and her husband Martin, sister Judy Montgomery, sister-in-law Cheryl Bolduc and her husband Richard, sister-in-law Sandie Marshall and her husband Will Solomine, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.
In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, P.O. Box 12268, Newport News, VA 23612. Visiting Hours will be held on Sunday, June 3, 2018, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home. 660 Brighton Avenue, Portland Maine.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, June 4, 2018, at 10:00 am at Holy Martyrs Catholic Church 266 Foreside Road Falmouth. Burial will follow in New Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.
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