TENANTS HARBOR — Martha-Gayle D. Iliffe, 72, became a beautiful angel June 20, 2013, at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

Born in Virginia Beach, Va., May 8, 1941, she was the daughter of John Henry Dull and Malvine Osborne.

While growing up in Virginia Beach, at the age of 17, she met and on Feb. 27, 1959, married the love of her life, William F. Iliffe. They shared 54 years of marriage.

The couple made their first home in Tolland, Conn., where they started their family and were blessed with two children, William F. Jr. and Alice-Gayle.

Martha entered cosmetology school and became a licensed cosmetologist. She worked at Albert and Larry's Hair Salon in Tolland.

In the early 1970s, Martha moved with her family to Tenants Harbor, where you could find her on the back of her husband's lobster boat, Sisu, working as his "stern lady." After several years, she decided to find employment on land and was first employed as office manager at Bill Knowlton Well Drilling in Tenants Harbor and then with her son-in-law, Larry, at Moody Pontiac in Rockland.

In 1991, she was blessed with the first of three grandsons, Brandon W. Smith. One could often find the two of them hiking down Route 131 to the post office and to get an ice cream. In 2003, upon the marriage of her son, Martha was pleased to accept his wife's son, Austin Jurkowski, as a grandson, and in 2006, grandson Nathan William Iliffe was born. Just before falling ill, Martha had the pleasure of meeting her half-sister, Joni Lawler of Florida.

Martha enjoyed retail therapy with her daughter, collecting Department 56 items, the sunshine, flowers, the beach, monthly birthday luncheon's with her girlfriends, and having coffee every afternoon at Port Clyde General Store.

Martha will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her loving husband, William F. Iliffe Sr.; her son, William F. Iliffe Jr. and his wife, Nancy Lynn Hastings Iliffe; her daughter, Alice-Gayle Iliffe Smith and her husband, Larry W. Smith Jr., all of Tenants Harbor.

At the family's request there will be no services.

Martha's family would like to thank the nurses and CNAs in the Special Care Unit and on Med-Surge South and North at PenBay Medical Center, those at Knox Center for Long Term Care, as well as Cheri Willis, for their companionship, love and support during this time.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. George Firefighters and Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 249, Tenants Harbor, ME 04860.

To share a memory or condolence with Martha's family, visit her online Book of Memories at bchfh.com.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home in Rockland.