Martha Farrington Huotari Mayo

Bath - Martha Farrington Huotari Mayo, 81, was surrounded by loved ones when she passed away in her home in Bath on February 5, 2024 after years of living with frontotemporal dementia. Martha’s life was marked by her love for family, community, and music.

Born on November 18, 1942 to Joan Sturtevant and Frank Alden Farrington, Martha was proud to be a fifth-generation from Augusta, Maine. The baby of the family, she was 10 and 11 years younger than her beloved brothers, Albert Sturtevant Farrington and Frank John Farrington, both deceased. Martha graduated from Cony High School in 1960, where she was active in intramural sports and music. Chizzle Wizzle, Cony’s variety show, greatly inspired later theatrical endeavors.

Martha fondly remembered her time as a camper and counselor at Camp Med-O-Lark, where she enjoyed tennis, archery, and hiking Mt. Katahdin, but especially loved swimming. As a counselor she taught swimming and was head of the waterfront. Martha attended Colby College, where she graduated in 1964 with a degree in English. While at Colby, she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, sang in the Colbyettes, and learned to play the guitar.

Following her graduation, Martha began teaching at Morse High School in Bath at the age of 21. A focus on grammar and teaching poetry through folk music were key elements of her teaching. While at Morse she also directed the variety show Mohiba and coached the swim team. Martha met her first husband, fellow teacher Raymond John Huotari, the following year. They were married in the summer of 1967 following the completion of her master’s degree in Education from Tufts University. They had two daughters, Kirsti Sturtevant Huotari and Mari Martha Huotari Eosco.

Having left Morse to raise her daughters, Martha maintained involvement with local schools throughout the 1970s. She filled in as an elementary school music teacher, taught weekly music classes at West Bath Elementary School, spent a year teaching English at Bath Junior High School, and tutored homebound students. In 1975, Sing! It’s Christmas was started by the Maine Maritime Museum; Martha led carols from the start, and eventually took charge of the event. Following Ray’s death from cancer in August 1981, Martha began work at Bath Iron Works in the Workers’ Compensation Department, where she became a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. In this role she focused on helping injured workers to “get back to work, transfer, or get on with their lives.” Her love of music made its way into her role at BIW, where she led Christmas carols, helped organize three variety shows and enthusiastically led a tambourine line.

Martha married Arthur Farley Mayo III in 1984 and they were happily married for over 30 years until his death from cancer in November 2015. Together they loved to entertain friends at home in Bath and on Squirrel Island. Martha retired from BIW in 1995 and went to work for the Workers’ Compensation Coordinating Council as Executive Director until 2010, when she officially retired. In 1997, Martha and a team of friends from BIW started the Hot Chocolate Jubilee, a community variety show which took place biannually at the Chocolate Church.

Over the years, Martha was involved in countless organizations within her community. She served on the board and was president of Sagadahoc Preservation Inc, Maine Historic Preservation, and Elmhurst Inc. She was part of the committee that formed Main Street Bath and subsequently served as a board member and secretary. She also served as a board member and recording secretary of The Children’s Schoolhouse. She was proud to be one of the first two female Chalice Bearers at Grace Episcopal Church, started a youth choir there before her daughters were born, served on the Vestry, and sang tenor in the choir for decades. With Sagadahoc Preservation Inc she enjoyed visiting fourth grade classes to teach about local architecture. Martha organized many events in and for Downtown Bath, including strolling carolers and the Paul Revere Bell Ringing, an event for which she rewrote the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne to tell the history of that special bell at City Hall.

Squirrel Island was a very important place in her life. She loved spending time with life-long friends, hosting family reunions and lobster picnics, greeting people off the ferry, and leading spontaneous renditions of the Squirrel Isle song. She chaired the Squirrel Island Association and was a member of the Board of Overseers. She was very devoted to the Squirrel Island Historical Society and chaired it twice. She was secretary of the Squirrel Island Chapel Association for several years, later served as the Music Director, and sang in the choir.

She was Gaga to her grandchildren and countless other children in the Bath community. She would regularly visit The Children’s Schoolhouse for singalongs including Puff the Magic Dragon, The Unicorn Song, and Tiptoe Through the Tulips. Martha was an avid reader, lifelong learner, and maintained her love of swimming. In retirement she had a goal to swim a mile on her birthday each year. She loved puppy breath and always had at least one feline friend at home. She took countless photos which she enjoyed labeling for future reference. Most of all she loved her immediate and extended family.

In addition to her daughters, she leaves four grandchildren: Niesa Huotari Ryder, Sakari Mykel Ryder, Alden Rork Eosco, and Gavin Ray Eosco.

A memorial service will be held at 1 PM on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at Grace Episcopal Church, 1100 Washington Street, Bath. A gathering of family and friends in celebration of the life of this special woman will follow at the Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington Street, Bath.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to: any Squirrel Island organization, General Delivery, Squirrel Island, ME 04570; Grace Church 1100 Washington Street, Bath; or any Bath community non-profit.  Arrangements are by Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High Street, Bath.   Condolences can be made online at www.DaigleFuneralHome.com.

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