Ann Armstrong Guild

Ann Armstrong Guild, 91, formerly of Cushing, passed away on June 6, 2025, at Schooner Cove in Damariscotta.
A free spirit, devoted to her creative spirit, her deep faith in Christian Science, her family and friends, her home and garden and sailing. Sam Guild and Ann Armstrong were two peas in a pod, inseparable and devoted to one another ever since Sam invited Ann to see his trains on their first date. They sailed the coast of Maine on their schooner, Samanthe, for many years making friends and stories along the ways. Ann proudly hailed from Berkeley, California, where she attended John Muir School and graduated from UC Berkeley. At Berkeley, she studied art with Chiura Obata, whom she admired enormously, and whose method of drawing a horse in three strokes, was taught to many others in Ann's inimitable style. Many of Ann's paintings reside in local Cushing homes, and collections across several states.
Upon moving to Cushing in 1966, she became close friends with many locals, and volunteered at the Togus VA with her dear friend, Jeanette Chapman, driving to Togus every Thursday, every week for nearly fifty years. She was in the choir of the Broad Cove Church for some years, but always remained a devoted Christian Scientist and attended the church in Camden for many years. She was a founding member of the Cushing Historical Society and its first President after the founding President, Ruth Aitken. With her neighbor and dear friend, Bob Garcia, she was a member and co-chair of the Maine Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society for many years; she loved rocks and flowers. She and Sam generously supported all things Cushing, and Maine, especially the Georges River Land Trust (and each of its Cushing preserves, including the Langlais Center), the Old South Cushing Meeting House, Arts in the Barn, the Broad Cove Church and many individual friends and their families.
Ann had a fondness for sourdough pancakes, which she would toss at her houseguests and visiting pets. She had an open house each New Years Day when she would make a vat of Hoppin John for anyone who popped in. She could be a marvelous and talented cook, and she personally knew Julia Child, whom she played at a Cushing Historical Society show called "Straw Hats and Southwesters," written by a dear friend Joie Willimetz. She had innumerable dear friends. She had a habit of "popping in" unannounced to visit friends and neighbors. She was fearless and kind, and very very eccentric, some might even say disturbed. But she loved life with a passion and often quoted her father who said at birthdays, "So glad she didn't die as a baby," and at funerals, "Egg today, feather duster tomorrow." She laughed up until the very end, singing "I'm an old cow hand from the Rio Grand. I learned to ride before I learned to stand."
Fair winds and following seas to your dear Sam, our Missy Ann.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Old South Cushing Meeting House on Salt Pond Road. More details will be announced at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To share a memory or condolence with the Guild family, visit Ann's Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ann, please visit our floral store.