Arthur Marcoux, a respected accountant who operated Service Four in South Portland and competed on a track team, died Sunday after suffering a severe reaction to wasp stings.
Mr. Marcoux, 66, was remembered by family and friends Tuesday as a kind, generous and loving man.
His wife, Debbie Marcoux of South Portland, said that if a friend needed help with yard work, he was quick to lend a hand. If someone needed help preparing taxes, he was the guy people called.
Last week, Mr. Marcoux was preparing a driveway to be sealed when he accidentally disturbed a wasp nest and was stung multiple times. His wife said he suffered a severe anaphylactic reaction.
His wife, in a somber, subdued tone, said the family is shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely passing.
“He was a very genuine person,” she said. “Everyone that became friends with Art really liked him. People really appreciated his help.”
By trade, Mr. Marcoux was an accountant and owned Service Four for roughly 26 years. He assisted taxpayers, small businesses and organizations with tax preparation, tax planning and bookkeeping. His wife said he did a lot for organizations such as the Maine Public Relations Council and the Portland Club.
“He liked being his own boss,” she said.
Mr. Marcoux was also a volunteer tax preparer for the AARP Senior Tax Program.
“He thought it was a great program and a great service to offer people,” his wife said. “He loved helping people.”
Another hallmark of Mr. Marcoux’s life was his devotion to family. The couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on July 4.
“He was so loving and supportive,” his wife said. “He had such a great sense of humor. He pushed me to be the best I could be.”
Mr. Marcoux and his wife hiked and traveled extensively. He reached his goal last year of visiting all 50 states. She said he loved visiting state capitols and touring local museums.
Ron Marcoux of Helena, Montana, laughed Tuesday recalling the day his younger brother visited and joined the family for a rafting trip down the Missouri River. At one point, Uncle Art jumped in the water to play with the kids.
“The water was 50 degrees,” his brother said laughing, noting the cold water shocked him. “He gave all the nieces and nephews a good laugh that day, but he showed them he was as tough as they were. They loved their Uncle Art.”
Another highlight of his life was competing on South Portland’s track team for the Maine Corporate Track Association. His wife competed, too. He did most events, including the high jump, long jump and long distance races.
Hollie Corbett, captain of the track team, said he was well loved by teammates and teams across the league.
“He was like a father figure,” Corbett said. “He had these crooked sunglasses, totally busted up. I’d say, ‘I don’t even know what that’s doing for you.’ I would tease him all the time. When he was racing, I was like a little bulldog screaming for him. He was one of my favorite people.”
Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:
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