LINCOLNVILLE — Martha Evangeline Wilson McIntosh, 78, died on July 23, 2019, due to respiratory complications, at Pen Bay Medical Center with her husband and daughter at her side.

She was born in Camden, Maine, on June 21, 1941, and grew up on Chestnut Street and then Wilson Avenue in a house built by her father, for whom the street was named. She graduated from Camden High School in 1959, and then attended Mt. Ida Junior College in Newton Center, graduating in 1961 with a degree in retailing.

After college, she lived in Boston — a place she loved and where she found great freedom — and worked as secretary to the Committee on Research at Massachusetts General Hospital until family matters brought her home to Camden. She worked as a legal secretary for Christy C. Adams in Rockland for many years, and also held insurance clerk positions at W.C. Ladd & Sons and Desmond & Payne Insurance earlier in her career. She briefly sold real estate.

Martha married Charles “Todd” McIntosh, Jr. on July 1, 1967, and welcomed her daughter, Jennifer W. McIntosh, in 1971. She was a devoted mother, and gave all of herself to raising and loving her daughter, participating in school activities at the Lincolnville Central School, and providing opportunities that she had not enjoyed herself. Their bond was rare, true, and a gift to them both. The family lived in the Lincolnville home Martha’s grandmother had grown up in, a place called “the old farm” with its cherished apple trees, wild strawberries, and violets that she remembered from visits as a child.

Creative and artistic, Martha took great pride in creating a beautiful home, both visually and in the way it felt, whether cooking, gardening, arranging flowers, playing the piano, or welcoming guests. She tied a fantastic bow. She made everything more beautiful and was fiercely devoted to those she loved.

For two summers in the 1980s, the family ran a popular seasonal take-out business, Boot-High Butt’ry, where Martha insisted on serving only homemade food which she prepared herself. Her standards were high in all areas of her life, and she made others rise to the occasion and give their very best as well. Her word meant everything to her, and a promise made was a promise kept.

Tenacious, spirited, and gregarious, Martha made friends everywhere she went. She did not want to be defined by any of the illnesses that she lived with, and with determination she made the best of every day, refused to quit, and was courageous to the end. She learned from the very best at the Joslin Diabetes Center and was committed to careful management of the disease, with the intention to beat the odds for as long as possible. Her resilience and bravery were an inspiration. She helped many people over the years when they were diagnosed with diabetes and other shared endocrine conditions, imparting her knowledge and personal experience, her belief that one must be an advocate for oneself, and the importance of always seeking out the best medical care available. She was grateful to all those who helped her along the way.

She is survived by her husband, Charles “Todd” McIntosh of Lincolnville, Jennifer Wilson McIntosh of Rockland, sister-in-law, Jan C. McIntosh of Connecticut, and many special nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was predeceased by her parents, Eva M. Wilson and Theodore R. Wilson, Sr.; her brother Ted Wilson, Jr.; her aunts, Bertha, Persis, and Dorothy Wilson; her uncles, Joe and Ralph Wilson; and numerous maternal aunts and uncles. They would all be proud of how she conducted her life and lived the lessons that they taught.

A Memorial Service followed by a reception will be held Friday, August 2, at 2 p.m., at the First Congregational Church UCC, 55 Elm Street, Camden with the Rev. Lisa Smith Fry officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in her name to the American Diabetes Association: online at https://donations.diabetes.org, by phone at 1-800-342-2383, or to P.O. Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215.  It has long been her hope to see a cure for diabetes.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.longfuneralhomecamden.com.  Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain Street, Camden.