SOUTH THOMASTON — Marita A. Huff, 81, died Feb. 5, 2013, at Eastern Maine Medical Center after a long courageous battle with liver disease and diabetes.

Born in Guilford Feb. 23, 1931, Marita was the eldest of five children of Forrest and Veatrice Harris Huff. Growing up in Guilford, she attended local schools.

On Aug. 5, 1949, she married Harland Demuth of Rockland. They began their family in 1951, when Gregory was born. She traveled to Germany with Harland while he was stationed there with the U.S. Army and Debra was born. Upon their return, Marilyn, Douglas and Alan were born in Rockland. They settled in Union, where Harland was manager of the telephone company and Marita ran the office. They moved to South Thomaston in 1970 and Marita and Harland divorced a few years later.

While in South Thomaston, Marita babysat for many families at her home. She was known to many of those children as "Grammie Rity" or "Double Knot Rity" for not liking untied shoes and tying them in double knots.

Marita looked forward to the family reunion held every year in July. She was proud to be the oldest member there for the past few years.

Marita was a very loving and compassionate woman — making friends everywhere she went — always giving hugs. Some of those very special friends she will be missed by are Eleanor Nash, Ruth Ross, Jenette Kearly, Barbara Fournier, Josie Austin, Donna Cook, Julie Packard, Pat Dougherty and Doris Hemmingway.

She will be remembered for her homemade breads, candies and zucchini relish.

She was very proud of all her grandchildren and enjoyed attending her granddaughter Brianna Widdecombe's concerts and Brianna's accomplishment with the saxophone. She was also very happy to be able to travel to Michigan to attend her granddaughter, Katie Demuth's, wedding.

Marita was predeceased by her parents; and her brothers Rodney Huff, Bernard Huff and Betty King. She is survived by her sister, Pauline Alley of Christiansburg, Va.; a special sister-in-law, Jane Huff of Orlando, Fla.; three sons, Gregory Demuth of South Thomaston, Douglas Demuth and his wife, Sandi, of Roscommon, Mich., and Alan Demuth of Sylvester, Ga.; two daughters, Debra Beattie and her husband, Robert, of Thomaston and Lehigh Acres, Fla., and Marilyn Widdecombe of Thomaston; her special friend, Katie Boughton-Hummel of Portland, who was like her own daughter; 14 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A very special thank you to her grandson, Christopher Widdecombe, and cousins Joyce Whitney and Keith and Edwina Cleveland, who were at her side during her many years of illness.

At Marita's request there will be no services. A summer interment will be announced later.

Donations in her memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Maine Chapter, 163 Lancaster St., Portland, ME 04101.

To share a memory or condolence with Marita's family, visit her Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home in Rockland.