Lois Litz

KENNEBUNK – Lois Litz passed away peacefully on Sept. 20, 2022 after almost 99 years of a full and active life surrounded and comforted by her loving friend, Marie and the devoted and loving staff of Avita of Wells.

Lois was born and raised in Monson, Mass. She was the daughter of William Litz and Corrine (Newmarker) Litz.

As a young girl in Monson, Mass., Lois first proved her dedication to school and hard work and her athletic prowess. In 12 years, she never missed a day of school. She excelled in sports in high school and throughout her life. At the age of 86 she was honored at a ceremony by the Monson Athletic Hall of Fame for her athletic achievements and was enshrined as a member of the class of 2010.

Lois graduated from Massachusetts State College in 1945 (renamed to the University of Massachusetts in 1949) with a major in chemistry and later went on to earn her master’s in education from the University of New Hampshire. While at Mass State, in addition to her studies, she participated in a variety of sports and as a junior was named Mass State’s Athlete of the Year. She served as president of the Women’s Athletic Association in her senior year.

Upon graduation, Lois began her career as a high school science teacher in Woodsville, N.H. In 1960, she moved to Massachusetts where she was soon named head of the science department at Shrewsbury High School. Lois was passionate about teaching – she loved and was devoted to her students and sought out new ways to keep them engaged. Throughout her life she would receive messages and visits from students who always remembered her kindness and dedication. Lois retired from teaching in 1980 and moved permanently to Kennebunk to a house she had purchased years earlier as a summer home.

Lois was far from retired though – she would soon build a shop and start an antique business, The Rusty Bucket, in Kennebunk with her partner and friend, Marie. She maintained a huge vegetable garden, starting her plants from seedlings, and then later canning her vegetables and fruits from her many fruit trees. She relaxed by painting beautiful watercolors and oil paintings and carving wooden decoys and hand painting them with perfect scientific detail. She picked bushels of wild blueberries for hours in the hot sun and then, after meticulously sorting them, sold them to local markets.

She continued her lifelong love of sports, participating in softball leagues and bowling leagues before finally focusing in on her true passion – golf.

Lois joined the Southern Maine Woman’s Golf Association in 1989 and would continue to be a member late into her 80s. She regularly was at the top of the leader board in local and state tournaments, having won the senior championship for 18 straight years, and the Senior Invitational at Carabasset Valley CC from 1993 to 1995. She also placed fifth in the Senior Olympic National Golf Tournament in San Antonio, Texas in 1995. One of her proudest accomplishments though was being honored at an awards ceremony by the Southern Maine Women’s Golf Association for her perfect attendance at the weekly state tournament for 21 years running – 424 tournaments in a row. Her perfect attendance award, now named for her, continues to this day. Thanks to the support from her dear friend and fellow golfer, Rica Shepardson, Lois was able to enjoy her favorite sport well into her late 80s.

Lois enjoyed practicing her golf as much as playing. One of her favorite activities was to hit balls into the woods behind her house, and then pick them up. She had plenty to fire off as she was also known to be an avid ball hunter, collecting literally thousands of balls over the years. Those balls have now been donated to high school golf teams to inspire future generations.

Lois loved to play – and she loved to compete – whether it be sports or a game of ping pong or a raucous card game of pitch with her nieces and nephew that often lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Lois displayed an endless enthusiasm for the Game–as an avid player, a patient coach, and a lifelong teacher. She had a fun and competitive nature that was admired and enjoyed by all.

“Aunty Lois”, as she was known to by her nieces and nephew, will be remembered for her multitude of talents and her zest for life. She will be remembered for her willingness to explore her many and diverse interests with passion and with a commitment to work hard developing her talents and skills to the highest level. She will be remembered for her boundless energy, her sense of humor, her ability to laugh at herself, her independent and competitive nature, her love of animals (especially cats) and her love for her family and friends.

Lois is survived by her devoted friend, Marie Pike; her sisters Jean Leyden (George), of Balston Spa, N.Y., and Vera Swift (Richard, predeceased), of Kennebunk, and Shirley Lavigne (Richard), of Sykesville, Md.; as well as her many nieces and her nephew.

Services will be held at a later date.

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Lois’s book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com

Arrangements are entrusted to Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk.


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