Jane Petherbridge Ives, 87, Left Mark as Educator, Author and Marriage Ministry Leader

Jane Petherbridge Ives, a longtime Maine educator, author and marriage ministry leader who touched countless lives through her work in churches and schools across the state, died July 26 at her home in Portland. She was 87.

Born in Yonkers, New York in 1939, Ives grew up in Hallowell, Maine, where she developed a deep connection to the United Methodist Church and her local community. After graduating from Hallowell High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in English and an education certificate from the University of Maine at Orono in 1961. She later completed a master's degree in education from the University of Southern Maine while working as a learning strategist for exceptional children in the Portland Public Schools.

Those who knew her described a woman whose patience, kindness and unwavering belief in people's potential left lasting impressions on students, colleagues and families throughout her career.

Ives met her future husband, S. Clifton "Cliff" Ives, through United Methodist youth ministry in 1955. They married on June 6, 1959, at Cox Memorial United Methodist Church in Hallowell. Their partnership would span more than seven decades and take them across Maine, West Virginia and around the world through shared ministry and mission work.

Marriage enrichment became a defining focus of their shared calling. As a Certified Better Marriages Leader and Trainer, Ives collaborated with her husband to lead couples retreats, helping pairs build stronger, healthier relationships. She authored several books on marriage and faith, including "Couples Who Care," "Couples Who Cope" and "Growing Love in Christian Marriage," which she co-wrote with Cliff. Her work also chronicled the lives of Methodist and United Methodist bishops' spouses in "They Also Serve."

Beyond her writing and teaching, Ives found joy in the natural beauty of Maine. She cherished a family cottage in Winthrop and the nearby United Methodist Church camp Mechuwana, where she loved watching loons on the water and gathering with loved ones by the lake.

In recent years, Ives and her husband made their home at Park Danforth in Portland, where she continued to extend warmth and hospitality to fellow residents.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Bishop S. Clifton Ives; three children, Bonnie Marden, Stephen Ives and Jonathan Ives, along with seven grandchildren and several siblings and extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, Aug. 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hobbs Funeral Home in South Portland. A memorial service will take place Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10 a.m. at Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church, followed by a gathering at 3 p.m. at Cox Memorial United Methodist Church in Hallowell.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to the Ives Family Fund for Mechuwana, which supports the camp ministry Ives held dear. Contributions may be made online at umfne.org or mailed to the Ives Family Fund for Mechuwana, c/o UMFNE, 42 Route 111, Suite 200, Derry, NH 03038.