PORTLAND — Alice E. Calderwood, 90, of Portland, died peacefully in her sleep March 4 at Maine Medical Center.

She was born April 15, 1922, in Portland, the daughter of Albion E. and Lillian O. Henry and she resided there her whole life. She attended Portland schools and graduated from Portland High School and Gray’s Business School.

Calderwood worked for a short time for the City of Portland Voter Registration Department. On Jan. 17, 1948, she married R. Frank Calderwood.

She devoted her life to raising their five children and became a foster parent in 1965. They had about 79 foster children, some who stayed only a night or two and others for 10 or more years. She was a longtime member of Immanuel Baptist Church and attended regularly until just recently. As a young woman, she sang in several of the choirs there and later was a member of the Woman’s Federation. She also was an active member of the Maine Foster Parents Group and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Auxiliary of the Sons of Union Veterans and was past president of all the groups.

She is survived by Jean Meyer of The Villages, Fla.; Betty Martin and her husband, Ralph, of Portland; Judy Gayton, of Freeport; Carol Hodgkins, and her husband, Bill, of Freeport; and Bruce Calderwood of Portland; 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren as well as extended family Shari Alvarez-Lewis, David Lewis, Dawn Ramsdell and Maria Miller.

A memorial service was held March 13 at Williston-Immanuel United Church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Williston-Immanuel United Church Family Fund, 156 High St., Portland, ME 04101.