Maxine M Dearth

Maxine M. Dearth, age 93, of Columbia Maryland and Oak Hill and Chillicothe, Ohio died November 8, 2019.  She was born in Columbus Ohio on September 24, 1926 to the late Issie and Mae (Heading) Marks.  She was preceded in death by her oldest brother, Nathan Edward Marks who was killed in World War 2 and a sister Helen Celina (Marks) McNeill, RN, who died in 1986. 

Maxine graduated from Oak Hill High School, Oak Hill, Ohio in 1944, then became a proud member of the US Cadet Nurse Corps at Holzer Hospital School of Nursing graduating in 1947.  She continued her education after awarded a full scholarship to the  University of Michigan where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Nursing in 1958.  She earned a Master’s degree in Education from Frostburg University in 1971 and progressed halfway through her Doctorate degree before withdrawing to care for her mother in the late 1970s. 

She held a variety of nursing positions over her 40 year career.  Maxine started as a public health nurse at the Columbus Ohio Health Department where she was recognized for her work in maternal/child health, mental health, and infectious disease prevention.  She was also Chillicothe Ohio’s first public health nurse in 1958.  She continued her career as the first supervisor for public health nursing at Lawrence County Health and later at the Ohio State Health Department.  She later held numerous teaching positions, first at Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and later at Allegany College in Cumberland, Maryland.  She retired in 1989 after 17 years as an Associate Professor of Nursing from Allegany College. 

Following her retirement, she and her husband, John shared many fun years together with a variety of activities and family by their sides.  Maxine was an accomplished watercolor artist and had several pieces displayed in local art galleries in Ohio.  She was a long-time member of Walnut Street United Methodist Church, Chillicothe, Ohio where she was the secretary of her Deborah Circle for 20 years.  She also was a member of the Chillicothe Nurses’ Guild, the Century Club, Ross County Genealogy Club and SAR Wives Club. 

On March 23, 1950, she married John Franklin Dearth, Jr. who survives her.  She is also survived by a daughter, Dr. Anne Dearth Williams and one granddaughter, Elizabeth Marie Williams, both of Columbia, Maryland.  She is survived by several beloved nieces and nephews and countless friends. 

A viewing will be held at Donaldson Funeral Home of Clarksville, P.A., 12540 Clarksville Pike on November 16, 2019 from 12 noon to 2 pm with a brief memorial service following the viewing at 2 pm . An additional viewing will be held at the Ware Funeral Home in Chillicothe, Ohio on November 23, 2019.  Interment will be held at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio.   The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Maxine M. Dearth to either Walnut Street United Methodist Church in Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 or Gilchrist Center Howard County, 6336 Cedar Lane, Columbia, Maryland 21044. 

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