Isabella Tighe Thurston

Isabella Tighe Thurston of Falmouth, Maine passed away on February 28, 2024. She is survived by her children Carla Burhoe (Tom), Deborah Thurston, Barbara Beckwith (Tom), Susan MacDonald (Brian) and Ronald Thurston II, eight grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild. She was predeceased by her parents Charles & Winnifred Tighe and by her beloved husband of 43 years, Ronald Thurston. As an only child she grew very close to her cousins in Scotland and England, Jo Calvert (Mike), Morag Rodger (Sandy) and Sheila Coffield (Vincent) and their children.

She was born in Glasgow, Scotland on February 24, 1937. She attended medical school in Glasgow and later The London School of Economics, then served in the Foreign Service in Europe, Hong Kong and Aiden (now Yemen). She came to the United States in 1963, was the Director of the Emergency Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and was later at New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston. She went on to Leadership positions at Massachusetts BCBS, the Maine Workers’ Compensation Board, and served as President of the Maine Association of Retirees. She was particularly dedicated to serve on boards for Mercy Health Systems (now Northern Light) and appreciated her collaboration and friendship with Colleen Hilton, President of Northern Light Health Home Care & Hospice.

She married Ronald Thurston in 1979 on her birthday, which she said was a “present to herself”. They made friends everywhere they went, and they loved to travel, especially to Glasgow and London to visit family and friends. In turn, they loved hosting her cousins and their families and the many friends they made in their travels to their Maine home. They were devoted to each other, and Issie & Ron enjoyed weekly “date nights” at their local restaurant in Falmouth, The Dockside, where everyone knew the Thurston’s.

Issie was a quick wit, always “just ducky” if you asked. She was at home with a glass of chardonnay in her hand and she loved to sing. She would engage anyone - from the pianist at the Savoy in London, to a bunch of loud footballers at the Central Hotel Glasgow or the waiters at Salieri’s. She often said that her greatest quality was that she had contentment, which made her appreciate everyone and everything in her life. We are learning from that.

She was a Glaswegian first, through and through, but she was very proud of her U.S. Citizenship and loved her life as a “Mainer” for 45 years.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 3:00 PM at Jones, Rich & Barnes, 199 Woodford Street, Portland. A reception will follow.

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In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, PO Box 679, Portland, ME 04104 https://northernlighthealth.org/giveHCH.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to view Issie’s tribute page and to sign her online guestbook.