Eugene R. Durgin, 68
Eugene Richard Durgin, also known as “Papa Geno” or “Durg”, age 68, of East Waterboro, died unexpectedly on Aug. 24 in Waterboro.
He was born in Waterboro, on Feb. 24, 1938, a son of Stanley Sr. and Beulah (Wilson) Durgin.
He attended Waterboro schools and proudly served his country by enlisting in the U. S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. While in Vietnam, he served as a field maintenance crewman for two tours of duty. He retired from the Air Force as a Tech Sergeant after 20 years of service.
For nearly 30 years, Eugene worked as a logger in the greater Waterboro area. He was an avid woodsman and enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing, all types of hunting, and winter smelt fishing. He also enjoyed harness racing and attending agricultural fairs. He was a member of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.
He will always be remembered for his generosity and his willingness to lend anyone a helping hand.
He is survived by his beloved wife Maureen (Sellick) Durgin, two sons, Wayne Durgin of Hollis and James Durgin of East Waterboro; a daughter- Darlene Meserve of Gorham; his mother- Beulah Durgin of East Waterboro; a brother-Stanley Durgin Jr. of East Waterboro; five grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
Services were held at Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, Buxton, followed by burial at Elder Gray Cemetery in Waterboro.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the
Waterboro Rescue, 24 Townhouse Road, East Waterboro, Maine 04030.
Eileen Catherine Fulcher, 85
Eileen Catherine Fulcher, 85, of Sweden, died at Bridgton on Aug. 20, 2006.
She was born in Lynn, Mass. on March 22, 1921, the daughter of John and Alice (Gaudreau) Barrett and was educated in Lynn, Mass. schools.
Eileen was a homemaker most of her life. She married Louis C. Fulcher on July 28, 1946; he died in 1996. They had eight children: John Fulcher of Gorham, Charles Fulcher of Sweden, James Fulcher of Florida, Kevin Fulcher of Lynn, Mass., Andrew Fulcher of Sweden, Maureen McNally of Bridgton, Alison Russo of New Port Richey, Fla., and Barbara Harmon of Sweden, who died on Aug. 17, 2006.
Eileen is also survived by nine grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Eileen loved to swim, but the main love of her life was time spent with her family.
Services were held in Bridgton.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Eugene R. Hussey, DVM, 85
Eugene R. Hussey, DVM, 85, of Conway, N.H., died Aug. 21, 2006, at his home.
The son of Leon and Amy (Sawyer) Hussey, he was born on Dec. 3, 1920, in Kezar Falls. He attended Porter High School and Parsonfield Seminary.
He served in the US Army during World War II as a captain. Following the war, he earned his MS and DVM from Michigan State University and moved to the valley in 1952 to open Hussey’s Veterinary Hospital in North Conway. This was in addition to his establishing the Eastern Slope Farm in 1965 and starting a practice in Gorham in 1967.
During his high school and college years, he worked for Sid Stanley in Kezar Falls, helping him in preparing the cattle to be shown at the local county fairs. He retired from the veterinary hospital at the age of 83.
Dr. Hussey was a 53-year member and past president of the North Conway Rotary Club, a very active member and Treasurer of the First Church of Christ Congregational, the Eastern States Exposition, and the finance committee for the Fryeburg Fair. He had also served on the Conway Planning Board and was past chairman on Vaughan Community Service. He enjoyed his veterinary business and especially showing his Percheron horses. He also enjoyed his grandchildren, basketball, farming, and stamp collecting.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth G. Hussey of Conway; his son, Brian E. Hussey of North Conway; three grandchildren, Justin Hussey and his wife Julie of North Conway, Brian E. Hussey II of North Conway, and Alyssa Hussey; great-granddaughter Allie Hussey; two sisters, Lucille H. Pollock of Conway, and Idolyn H. Dunning of Kezar Falls; and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents, Leon and Amy Hussey; his first wife, Kathleen V. Hussey; his son, Stephen Hussey; great-grandson, Owen Stephen Hussey; and a sister, Joyce L. Hussey.
Services and burial were in North Conway.
If desired, memorial donations may be sent to the First Church of Christ Congregational, PO Box 401, North Conway, N.H. 03860-0401.
Wayne M. Johnson, 64
Champion in many fields
Wayne M. Johnson, 64, of Westbrook, died Aug. 19, 2006, after a courageous battle against cancer at Spring Brook Nursing Care and Rehabilitation Center in Westbrook.
He was born in Rockland, the son of Vaino Alexander and Eleanor Tibbetts Johnson, attended Rockland High School where he was state debate champion.
He lost his right leg at the age of 18 to a rare and deadly form of cancer and was operated on at Knox County Hospital in Rockland and Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City. His daughter Liza said this did not keep him down as he attended the University of Maine, was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity and was selected as Alumnus of the Year in 2004.
He was president of the Sophomore Owls and Senior Skulls Honor Societies. Wayne also won a Rotary Club Fellowship, which allowed him to study economics at the London School of Economics in London, England. He received a JD degree from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.
While at the University of Maine he won an internship to work in Washington, D.C. in the office of First District Congressman Stan Tupper, and earned extra credits while studying at American and George Washington Universities. While in the Congressional office he recalls landing at sea, aboard the USS Wasp, to review naval weapon systems and was the author, on behalf of Congressman
Tupper, of the first major aid to education bills.
Following graduation from law school, he was selected by HUD Secretary George Romney to become the youngest director of a HUD/FHA field office in the country, in his home state of Maine. Shortly after assuming his new position he became the highest-ranking federal official in Maine to testify before the United
States Civil Rights Commission on behalf of civil rights for Native
Americans. He also wiped out discrimination in HUD programs, during his appointment as FHA director, which previously prevented Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribe members from working on HUD programs and construction.
Following his stint in public service, he became a private consultant designing sophisticated programs for financing hospitals and senior citizen centers. He developed a major change in federal rates to make the design of nursing homes more customer-friendly and residential in nature.
He was chairman of the Yarmouth Republican Town Committee and counseled many people with disabilities. As he approached 60, he thought he would like to become an amputee athlete even though he was never considered an athlete in high school.
His son Eric recalls his father saying that if someone called him a mediocre athlete in high school, it would have been an act of charity.
On May 30, 2000, he lost his wife, Janet, to cancer. Prior to that, he promised Janet that he would break a world record as an amputee athlete. With help from Chris Croasdale at Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, Wayne overcame the physical impossibility of running like an able-bodied track sprinter with only a 6-inch residual limb.
Being stimulated by the word impossible, he trained diligently at the Casco Bay YMCA in Freeport. Within a one-year period he was lifting over one million pounds in weights a month, doing 60 pushups and 1,000 crunches. His world record hunt began in 1999. By May 2001, what would have been Wayne and Janet’s 31st wedding anniversary; he sprinted 100 meters at the National Sports Festival at Connecticut College, the largest event in the country. The impossible became possible when Wayne broke 11 world records, earned 17 gold, two silver and one bronze medal. He designed and tested a state of the art carbon-fiber sprinting leg, which today is considered a major breakthrough for above the knee amputees.
Wayne was a member of the First Parish Congregational Church in Yarmouth, helped found the Yarmouth Hockey Boosters Club, coached hockey and Little League Baseball. He was president of the Casco Bay Youth Hockey Association and served on various town committees.
Wayne is survived by his daughter Liza, sons Sven and Eric, grandsons Taylor and Dylan and a brother Donald.
A memorial service was held at First Parish Congregational Church in Yarmouth. Burial will be in Achorn Cemetery in Rockland.
Arrangements are under the care of Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. Family and friends are invited to take part in a developing biography and photographic life story at www.mem.com. Your personally written tributes are welcomed and encouraged.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Wayne’s memory to: Maine Cancer Research & Education Foundation, P.O. Box 553, Portland, Maine 04112-0553.
Lawrence C. Peters, 79
Lawrence C. Peters, 79, of Westbrook died Aug. 21, 2006, at the Springbrook Health Care facility.
He was born in South Portland, a son of Nathan C. and Alice Peters. He was raised and educated in South Portland and was a graduate of South Portland High School. He went on to serve in the Army Air Corps.
Lawrence had been employed by Kirby Vacuum, Simmons Upholstery and the Portland Railroad for 42 years.
He was a member of the AMVETS, the American Legion Post 197, the Westbrook Eagles and the V.F.W. He loved his camp on Spruce Head Island, where he enjoyed watching the boats come in and knew all the lobstermen. He was a bargain hunter, enjoyed riding his motorcycle, snowmobiling and playing his guitar.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ruth E. Batchelder Peters; a daughter, Barbara and husband Gary Kelly of Torrance, Calif.; two grandchildren, Carol Tapley of South Portland, David and wife Pam Tapley; and great-granddaughter, Emma Grace of Westbrook
Services were held at the Blais & Hay Funeral Home, Westbrook. Interment will be in the Maine Veterans Cemetery, Augusta.
Donald K. Wood, 84
Retired Gorham Postmaster
Donald Kaler Wood, 84, of Gorham died Aug. 15, 2006.
He was born in Portland on Nov. 28, 1921, a son of Kenneth A. and Madeline E. (Kaler) Wood.
Don was a graduate of Deering High School, Class of 1941. During WWII he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in England and France. On July 31, 1948 he married Catherine Marie Burns and together they had two sons.
Don made the U.S. Postal Service a career and retired as Postmaster of the Gorham Post Office. He was active in the Masons and had achieved the 33rd degree and also belonged to the Shriners. He also liked the fellowship of the Woodford Club.
In younger years, he enjoyed skiing and canoeing. He had a lifelong interest in photography and with his precise and exacting nature he was an accomplished amateur photographer.
Don is survived by his wife of 58 year, Marie Wood of Gorham; his son Stephen Wood of Gorham; his grandson Joshua Wood of Portland: his grandson Jason Wood of Cumberland; and his brother Alan Wood and his wife Peggy of Falmouth.
He was predeceased by his son Jeffery Wood, who died Sept. 19, 2001, and his brother Robert A. Wood.
At the request of the family funeral services were private.
For those who wish, memorial tributes may be sent to the American Diabetes Association.
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