Myrtle Ruth Flight, aged 88, died peacefully on January 5, 2024 in Wellesley, MA. Born to Clarence and Myrtle Westhaver, Myrtle was the oldest of five children growing up in and around Milton, MA. In her youth she was an active member of The Rainbow Girls and became an accomplished pianist, playing for church services and community events, and later taught piano. After graduating from Milton High School she went on to Colby Junior College where she began her lifelong quest in the field of education. Her first job was as a medical assistant at Boston City Hospital.
Despite growing up in a Baptist household, Myrtle met her husband, Curtis, in the youth group at Parkway Methodist Church in Milton. They were married for 44 years, had two children, and lived the entire time in Canton, MA. Among their many passions was the co-founding of The Canton Interfaith Group which brought together members of the town’s Protestant, Catholic and Jewish communities.
While her children were young, Myrtle attained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at night at Northeastern University. Upon graduation she started her career in teaching; first at Aquinas College, then at Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School, and finally at her alma mater, Northeastern. During her time at Blue Hills she leveraged her prior work experience and developed a program preparing female students to become medical assistants. Over time she rose to the position of Assistant Superintendent at the school. When the position of Superintendent opened up, Myrtle applied and was denied the promotion in what she believed was a form of discrimination. She proceeded to sue the school district over the decision and after many years won in the Massachusetts Appeals Court in what became a landmark workplace discrimination lawsuit.
With new worlds to conquer, Myrtle left Blue Hills and enrolled full-time at New England School of Law. She graduated in 1987, passed the bar, and started a practice to help disadvantaged youth in the arena of family law. She continued in this role for over fifteen years.
The legacy of Myrtle’s professional accomplishments are cemented in her sole publication “Law, Liability and Ethics.” The textbook, written to lend structure to the medical office workplace, is in its sixth edition and has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide.
In retirement, Myrtle served on the Board of Milton Hospital, engaged herself in the workings of Fuller Village, and worked extremely hard on improving her artistic skills. She truly enjoyed spending time with all of her friends at the “Milton Hilton.” Her family will always be grateful for her unending love and support. There was nothing better than the family gathering around the piano to sing show tunes or Christmas carols. She will also be remembered for her creative and interesting gift-giving skills and her affinity for puppets.
Myrtle is survived by her children Curtis Flight (Stuart, FL) and Linda Lull (Wellesley, MA), her brother Ralph Westhaver (Milton, MA), four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A private family memorial service will be held later this spring.