Maytha Ruth Southard

FALMOUTH – Maytha Ruth Southard, 91, resident of Falmouth, Maine, formerly of Cannelton, Indiana, passed away peacefully at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, August 13, 2020 with her son and daughter at her side. She was born in Cannelton, Ind., on March 24, 1929 to Edwin and Winona Schurtter and attended Cannelton schools. After graduating High School she attended and graduated from Evansville College as well as earned her Master’s degree at Indiana University. During the years of teaching in Indiana she met the love of her life, Richard C. Southard. They married in 1958. They chose to settle in Falmouth ME and start their family. They had two children, David and Ellen Southard. After 13 years of marriage her husband Richard passed away due to illness in 1971.

Maytha raised her children on Woodville Road in Falmouth, where she lived until her death. She was an elementary school teacher for 35 years, teaching most of that time at Mast Landing School in Freeport, Maine. She loved to travel with her close friend Jeanne Carter. They traveled many summers to Europe, Canada, and several locations in the United States.

She loved both her community and her church. For many years she was a member of the Friends of the Falmouth Public Library, the Falmouth Historical Society and the Maine State Retired Teachers Association. She was a devoted member of the Falmouth Congregational Church. She attended church functions as well as served on many committees throughout the years. The last few years of her life her health made it too difficult for her to attend services, but through the commitment of members of her church she was able to keep connections and for that she was truly thankful.

Maytha is survived by her two children; David W. Southard and his wife Jean Southard of Gray, Ellen A. Southard of Falmouth, her sister, Alice Ellis and C. Robert Ellis of Boonville Ind., her brother, Paul Schurtter and his wife Ruth Schurtter of Bloomington, Ind., several nieces and nephews in Indiana and Bangor, Maine. Three grandchildren, Mary M. Southard and Stephen D. Southard of Gray, Richard C. Southard of Raleigh, N.C., also survive her.

Family and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Sunday August 23, 2020 from 4-6 p.m., at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane Yarmouth, Maine. A graveside service will take place on Monday August 24, 2020 at 1 p.m., at Blanchard Cemetery, Winn Road, Falmouth. Due to COVID 19 concerns please be mindful of social distancing and mask wearing.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view Maytha’s tribute page and to sign her online guestbook.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Maytha’s name to the Falmouth Congregational Church

267 Falmouth Road

Falmouth, ME

as well as

Gosnell Memorial Hospice House

11 Hunnewell Road

Scarborough ME

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