The late Winfred Strout, 89 of Windham, will be laid to rest Saturday. Strout died tragically when struck by a car driving northbound on River Road Tuesday night.

After selling Christmas trees for the Windham Kiwanis Club that afternoon, Strout had stopped by a friend’s house on River Road to drop off the fund-raising money at about 5 p.m. He was waiting to cross the road when he was hit by a car driven by Jeremy Poyner of Naples. No charges have been filed. The accident is still under investigation.

Strout is remembered as a dedicated volunteer who once served on Windham’s first town council and a man of faith who cared deeply for both his family and his community.

“A very good husband, a very good father, grandfather and great grandfather,” his wife Barbara Strout said. “He loved life and loved his family.”

His step-son Dick Roy remembers Strout as someone who enjoyed “people and good company.” He loved golf, fishing and was an active member of the community as a Kiwanis club member, a Mason and actively involved with the Windham Hill United Church of Christ.

Strout worked as a foreman at The Portland Company and Portland Engineering for 38 years. He also taught at Cony High School, Augusta Vocational Tech and Portland Vocational Technology School.

While working and raising a family, Strout served on several boards and committees that helped shape the town.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Strout was elected to both the Windham town council and school board and served on a committee which guided the construction of Windham Middle School. As of late, Strout had been a member of the board of assessment review.

State Rep. Gary Plummer served on the town council with Strout in the early 1970s during a time of transition when the old ‘”Board of Selectmen” form of government was replaced by the new “Town Council.”

“Both Win and I represented the values of old Windham and made sure we didn’t lose those values with all the building and structural changes in government,” Plummer said. “He was a wonderful man and a wonderful friend and someone who dedicated his life to Windham.”

Strout’s best friend, other than his wife, was Pope Road resident Stanley Sampson. The two met while attending South Portland High School in the 1930s. Strout, in the Class of 1934, was a year ahead of Sampson. Eventually – Strout sooner than Sampson – both moved to Windham and became close friends.

“It’s hard to accept,” Sampson said. “We were both Masons, both Kiwanians. We were golfing buddies, we played cribbage every Thursday night and it’s hard to take that he’s gone.”

Sampson said he and Strout had a running score for their weekly cribbage games. Sampson plans on adding up the score to see who was winning.

“I’m going to have to count up and see how we came out. I bet I’ll find we were about even. That’s my guess,” he said.

Even though both were approaching their nineties, they played in a foursome at Apple Valley Golf Course in Lewiston every week up until this October.

“We used to have a good time. We joked with each other, you know. He was a great friend,” Sampson said.

Sampson spent three hours with Strout Tuesday afternoon selling Christmas trees in front of the Aubuchon Hardware on Route 302. Sampson was planning on taking his friend home after the shift but didn’t need to once Strout’s wife came to pick up her husband.

“At about 4:40 p.m. we decided to close up shop and Win was going to leave the key (to the tree storage unit) and the money bag at Glenn Libby’s house. That makes it hard, though. We were just there selling the trees. I’m getting used to the idea, but I still get emotional.”

After Strout dropped off the Kiwanis proceeds at Libby’s house, Libby, also a longtime friend, quickly called an ambulance when he heard the accident and realized what had happened.

“I was horrified, and of course his wife was right there and saw it,” Libby said. “It was rough.”

Libby had known Strout for 40 years: as a town councilor, school board member and a friend through their time together in the Kiwanis Club and as members of the Windham Presumpscot Lodge of Masons.

Libby has fond memories of time spent at his camp on Moosehead Lake with Strout and his wife.

“He was a good friend, an all-around gentleman and a family man,” Libby said. “He’s going to be sadly missed.”

Phil Moody knew Strout from Windham Hill United Church of Christ and Kiwanis. Moody served as secretary of the club. Moody had great respect for Strout who was a former deacon of the church, and the two served on several church committees together.

“Win was in Kiwanis for 33 years and according to my records, he had perfect attendance. He was also Lt. Governor for what used to be called Division 10, which covered clubs from Sanford to Brunswick,” Moody said. “He was a super guy, salt of the earth.”

Moody described Strout as a “wise, old New England Yankee.”

“He was the kind of fellow everyone would like to be. He was like everybody’s favorite grandfather,” Moody said.

Strout is survived by his wife Barbara, sons Dick Roy and Ronald Strout, daughter Laura Baggett and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday evening at Dolby’s Funeral Home on River Road. His funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Windham Hill United Church of Christ on Windham Center Road. A reception in the parish hall will take place after his service.

Win Strout, second from right, poses with Superintendent William Foss, left, and other members of the 1976 school board. Pictured from left are Foss, Clifford Plummer, Janet Rich, Sandra Ent, Strout and Ralph Johnston.

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