Marge H. Tuthill

Marge Tuthill, of Great Island, Narragansett, died July 24, 2009 in Providence, R.I. She was 77. The youngest child of the late Harry Hull and Julia Maney Tuthill, Marge was born October 22, 1931 in Greenport, New York. She was predeceased by her siblings who were also her godparents, Henry H. Tuthill and Mary M. Tuthill, and by siblings J. Katharine and Lawrence M. Tuthill. Marge was a direct descendent of Southold Town first settlers Henry and Bridget Tuthill, and a descendent of more than a dozen other old Southold families. Her maternal grandparents were immigrants from County Cork, Ireland. During her early years, Marge celebrated the Rite of Christian Initiation Sacraments of the Catholic Faith in Greenport’s St. Agnes Church. Marge graduated from Greenport High School and New York State University at New Paltz, NY. She was an avid basketball player during her high school and college years. During her teaching years, Marge was an active member of the community. She was the first woman to be elected a Village of Greenport Trustee, and she was chairperson of Greenport’s Housing Authority. She served as a member of the board of directors of the Greenport Housing Renewal Association, C.A.S.T. (Community Action of Southold Town), and Cutchogue’s Old Town Arts and Crafts Guild. Marge was elected a Southold Town Democratic Committeeperson in the 1960s and a New York State Democratic Committeewoman in the 1970s. She also served as Southold Town Chairperson of Congressman Otis Pike’s reelection committee during the late sixties and early seventies. In 1973, Marge spent a trial period in a Poor Clare Monastery. She left at the request of her elderly father whose health was failing. While assisting her father, she attended Fordham University’s Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, earning a Master’s Degree. For twenty-four years (1978-2002), Marge was a religious educator in Rhode Island. She successfully designed, developed, and implemented programs to meet the needs and interests of participants while stressing the importance of reverence and educational content. She was Director of Religious Education at St. Francis de Sales Church in North Kingstown, St. Aloysius Home for Boys in Greenville, and St. Mary’s Parish in Charlestown. Marge was the author of four books published by Paulist Press, professional religious education magazine articles and the independently published Baptizing Molly, The Maneys of Seneca Castle, and eight booklets detailing Tuthill family history. Marge promised her father that she would be buried with him in the Cutchogue Cemetery. When entering the cemetery, Marge’s memorial is the first stone on the right of the driveway. A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Aug. 1st at 10am at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Narragansett. Those wishing to make donations in Marge’s memory are asked to donate to South County Walk-In and Primary Care, Inc. 360 Kingstown Road, Suite 104, Narragansett, RI 02882 or Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 1085 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904.