Tammy Sue Purington, 51, of Boothbay died March 13, 2015 in the loving arms of her best friend and soul mate of 32 years, Irv Purington, due to complications of diabetes.

During her short life, Tammy had an amazing and fulfilling journey. Tammy was born Aug. 26, 1963 in Barre, Vermont to Harrison (Hap) Hartman. As a child, Tammy and her siblings, Connie and Chris, had many adventures together. They enjoyed building snow forts, camping, hikes, picking blackberries, Thunder Road raceway, snowmobiling, festivals and fairs, catching lightning bugs and visiting their grandmothers.

Irv and Tammy met in the early 1980s. From the beginning they were inseparable. The journey they shared was like no other. On March 20, 1982, Tammy gave birth to the first of two children, Nichole (Nicki). Her son, Irving (Bud), was born June 9, 1986. Tammy was a devoted mother, pouring her heart and soul into raising her children and teaching them everything.

In the mid-1980s, Irv and Tammy moved to Oregon where they spent two years exposing their young children to a whole new world which consisted of daily salmon fishing, trips to the mountains where elk were abundant (and a hunting trip which resulted in Tammy bagging a majestic elk), walks along the rivers, and camping and fishing along the beach.

The family moved back to Boothbay in the late 1980s, where Tammy worked a variety of jobs at local restaurants, housekeeping and at the chamber of commerce. Still her full-time job and main focus was on family and motherhood, spending countless hours helping the kids with projects and attending school activities (there was never a holiday that she didn't bake goodies for their classes). Tammy had a variety of hobbies, including baking, canning, drawing, organic gardening, sewing quilts, and her flower gardens were amazing. She enjoyed volunteering at the St. Andrews Thrift Shop once a week and the time spent with "the girls."

Tammy was also an animal lover. She and Irv took on a new adventure in 2004 raising sheep, when unknown to them, two of the sheep were expecting, and on Mother's Day, she helped deliver three lambs. They also raised chickens. Tammy and Irv loved the Maine coast, taking weekend drives to unknown destinations and walks along beaches looking for treasures.

Tammy was the proud grandmother of four grandsons, Kayden, Landon, Tristan and Kellen. They were her special buddies and she looked forward to her daily phone calls and their visits to Maine. They brought a great deal of joy to her life and she loved each of them.

Tammy's warmth, generosity and kind heart will always be remembered by those she helped. Her friendly disposition, common sense approach, wonderful sense of humor and supportive nature touched everyone around her. Her family, though left with an irreplaceable void, takes comfort in knowing that she will be with them forever.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at Massachusetts General Hospital-CICU for the care they provided Tammy.

Tammy was predeceased by her father, Harrison (Hap) Hartman, and her in-laws, Cliff and Vange Purington.

Besides her husband Irv Purington, she is survived by a daughter, Nichole and her husband Jared Peaslee of Edgecomb; son, Irving and his wife Abby Purington of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts; son, Logan Posey; grandsons, Kayden, Landon, Tristan and Kellen Purington; grandmother, Arlene Beatty of Barre, Vermont; sister, Connie and her husband Glen Devenger of Trevett; brother, Chris Hartman of South Burlington, Vermont; and many extended family members.

A celebration of Tammy's life will be held this summer.