Zilpha Clark Curtin of Pemaquid Point, New Harbor, died on the evening of Jan. 13. She was born April 16, 1933 in St. Louis, Mo. to the late Charles Warren Curtin and the late Esther Clark Curtin. She lived in Webster Groves (St. Louis), Mo., until she moved with her parents to Omaha, Neb. in 1946, where she graduated from Brownell-Talbot School in 1951. Zilpha’s summers were spent at Cheley Colorado Camps in Estes Park, Col., as a camper and riflery and archery counselor. Her other favorite activities were mountain climbing, horseback riding, horse pack and backpack camping in the Rocky Mountain National Park. After graduating from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. in 1955, she worked in Alton, Ill. as an American Girl Scout Field Director. That was followed by being a Recreation Worker for the American Red Cross Midwestern Area, stationed at the U.S. Army Hospital in Fort Carson, Col.
Zilpha moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was the Senior Pastor’s Secretary at the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Finneytown; as the Assistant Director of Development, Kindervelt Liaison and Travel Coordinator at The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; and as Director of Volunteer Services at Drake Rehabilitation Center. After early retirement, she moved to Maine, where she worked for the Heritage Christmas Gift and Candle Shop at Pemaquid Point, until it closed nine years later.
Zilpha was a strong proponent of volunteer work. She graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a certificate in Volunteer Management in 1982. In Cincinnati, besides volunteering in many capacities at her church, she was co-founder of The Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati, which opened in 1983. She served as visitor to cardiac patients at The Christ Hospital through The Mended Hearts Society; as a visitor to patients at the Longview State Mental Hospital; and she assisted Girl Scout troops on their overnight camp-outs. In Maine, she worked a number of years at the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in the Fishermen’s Museum and volunteered in the library and office of the Bristol Consolidated School. She also served in various capacities at the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle. Her volunteer work also included the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days, the Miles Hospital League House and Garden Tour and Milestone Campaign, and Making Strides for Breast Cancer. She was a member of the Sibley Heritage Society of Lindenwood University, The Summit Society of the John Austin Cheley Foundation, and the Pillars of the House Society of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati.
She was predeceased by her parents and sister, Harriet Haven Grass.
She is survived by her nephew, Jeffrey Howard Grass and wife Jackie of Oviedo, Fla.; niece, Julia Warren Rohling and husband Kenneth of Independence, Ky.; grandnephews, Dennis James Ryan Grass of Cincinnati, Ohio, Andrew Michael Grass and Matthew Michael Grass, both of Oviedo, Fla., and Jacob Charles Johnson; also Benjamin, Jennifer, and Katie Rohling of Latonia Lakes, Ky.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati, 350 Erkenbrecher Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229; the Bristol Area Library, P.O. Box 173, New Harbor, ME 04558; or the Bristol First Responders, c/o Jeri Pendleton, 41 South Side Rd., New Harbor, ME 04554.
Graveside service and burial will take place in the Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, Mass.
Condolences for the family may be expressed at www.StrongHancock.com.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta.
