SOUTH PARIS — Muriel S. Lord, 82, of Streaked Mt. Road, South Paris, died Friday, July 15, at Market Square Health Care Center where she had been a resident for a month.

She was born on Nov. 23, 1928, a daughter of Stanley M and Vivien Elwell Sturtevant Sr. Muriel grew up on the family farm on Streaked Mountain in Paris. She worked with her father on the farm with dairy cows, draft horses and harvesting field crops and raking blueberries. She had a lifelong talent for relating to the living creatures, tamed many a chickadee and had them and some chipmunks literally eating out of her hand.

She graduated from Paris High School in 1947. In high school she was a first string member of the state championship basketball team. Also in school she learned violin and played in the school orchestra. In later years, she played for church worship services. One of her favorite expressions was “I can’t get along without music.”

She met the love of her life, Harvey Lord, at a Saturday night dance. They were married in 1954, and made their home at first in Massachusetts. Later, after he had studied at Bangor Theological Seminary, they served successively at Congregational churches in Maine, Connecticut, Michigan, and New Hampshire.

She took a keen interest in the education of their seven children. As a good loving mother and homemaker, she had those children well prepared when they entered public schools. She was even elected to the school board for a term in Watervliet, Mich., and was board treasurer.

She became an avid bird watcher and could identify more than 30 species by their song alone. With her husband she enjoyed ballroom dancing and became an amateur ham radio operator. She studied and passed exams to obtain the highest “ham” license extra class rating. She enjoyed nature walks, hiking and had climbed Mt. Washington in her younger years before the onset of a genetic form of emphysema. She had early come to trust Yahshua as her Saviour and through years of marriage she and Harvey had been involved in many church musicals.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years; children, Merton of South Paris, Mary Ann of Pucallpa, Peru, Cindy of Kinsman, Ill., Thomas of Michigan City,Ind., Jesse and wife, Judy, of Stevensville, Mich., Timothy and wife, Beth, of Toccoa, Ga., and John and wife, Kimberly, of Nashua, N.H.; a sister, June Smith of Lewiston; grandchildren, Susan, Rosalie, Silvia and husband, Ivan, Trisha and husband, Paul, Violet, Kelsie, Morgan, Ethan, Austin, Evan, Katherine and Jacob; and great-grandchildren, Cody, Dylan (in Afghanistan), Aaliyah, Isabella and Oliver.

The family would like to extend deep appreciation to both Hospice House in Auburn and Market Square Health Care Center for the high quality care that was given to Muriel during her stay in those facilities. Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.