Jean Hight Childs

WESTBROOK -- Jean Hight Childs died on Jan. 4, 2011, in Scarborough. She was born in Portland on Oct. 4, 1927, the daughter of Ellis F. and Julia (Kenney) Hight. She was educated in Portland schools, graduating from Portland High School, Westbrook Junior College and the University of Southern Maine.

She was predeceased by her husband, Dana White Childs in 1999; Their 53 year marriage produced four children, Donna Childs and her husband Richard Meiners of Wales, Michele Childs Flynn and her husband Robert of Cape Elizabeth, Dana Childs of Saco and William Hight Childs and his wife Betsy of Westbrook; her grandchildren, Jayme Rice, JoAnna Corey, Nora Meiners, Courtney Childs, Abby Meiners, Melissa Emerson, Maraga Flynn Martens, Ned Meiners, Brean Flynn, Dana Marie Childs, Jessica Childs, Nicholas Childs; and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter- in-law, Sandi Childs; her sister, Joy Hight Williamson; and by her niece, Sharon Gately Hannah.

The greatest influences on her life, other than family, were certain teachers, the Harold T. Andrews Post, the American Legion Post Drum and Bugle Corps, Sis-A-Gie Camp for Girls, the League of Women Voters and the political life of Maine from 1950- 2000. She had a keen interest in the environment, from being one of many voices in cleaning up Back Cove in the 1960's to serving for 6 years on the Maine Board of Environmental Protection, traveling throughout the State.

Mrs. Childs and her husband were active participants in harness racing, owning Race Me Stables in Westbrook for 30 years. They bred, trained and raced horses as an avocation, owning more than 200 horses and foaling over 100 at the farm. They enjoyed the company of lots of neighborhood youngsters, maintaining associations with many of them over the years.

Relatives and friends may call at the Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland, on Jan. 18, from 3-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford St., Portland, on Jan. 19, at 2 p.m.

Contributions in her name may be made to:

The Maine Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association

Scholarship Fund

Care of Mike Andrew

64 Flaggy Meadow Rd.

Gorham, Maine 04038

or to

Riding to the Top,

a therapeutic riding program

for children and adults

(a cause close to the donor's heart)

P.O. Box 1928

Windham, Maine 04062