PORTLAND and SCARBOROUGH – Phyllis Rose Theriault, a retired educator, died Dec. 14, 2022 at the age of 98. She was born Jan. 22, 1924 in Howland, the daughter of Edmund J. and Mary A. (Nadeau) Theriault.

Phyllis was a graduate of Howland High School in 1941, Farmington Normal School in 1944, and earned a B.S. in Education from the University of Maine at Orono in 1950. In 1955, she earned a M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She began her teaching career in Howland (1944-’46) before becoming a supervising teacher at the Campus School at Washington State Teachers College in Machias for seven years (1946-’53). She also taught at the Agnes Russell Center Elementary School at Columbia University (1953-’55) and at King Philip Elementary School, West Hartford, Conn. (1955-’56).

After returning to Maine, Phyllis served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for primary grades in South Portland for 27 years. She also taught continuing education courses for the University of Maine, Portland and Orono Campuses. She was an educator for 39 years before retiring in 1983 from the South Portland School System.

Phyllis was a longtime member of St. Joseph Church in Portland. She was also a member of the Maine Education Assoc., Maine Supervisors Assoc., Cumberland County Retired Teachers Assoc., Farmington Alumni Assoc., and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, where she held several offices including president for two years. Among her many other interests were quilting, sewing, photography, swimming, reading, and traveling. Above all, family was of utmost importance to her and she dearly loved all of the get-togethers and annual family reunions with the “Theriault Clan”.

Phyllis is survived by two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Theriault of Scarborough and Joan Theriault of Bangor. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; six brothers, Clayton, Wayne, Darrell, Donald, John and William, and five sisters, Mary Alice Bruce, Joan Flagg, Lillian, Patricia Skehan and Ruth Torrey.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff and caregivers she had for many years at Birchwoods at Canco Senior Living and most recently at The Enclave of Scarborough.

Visiting hours celebrating Phyllis life will be held on Monday, Dec. 19 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State St., Portland. Prayers will be recited at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home followed by an 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 673 Stevens Ave., Portland. The Rite of Committal will be in the family lot in St. Matthews Cemetery in West Enfield in the spring. To view Phyllis memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

Immediately following the funeral mass, relatives and friends are invited to share refreshments and conversation at the hall of St. Pius X Church, Ocean Avenue, Portland.

Donations in her memory may be made to

The John P. Theriault Scholarship Fund,

c/o Dorothy Theriault,

9105 Gateway Circle

Scarborough, ME 04074