May 25, 1940 – August 19, 2019
SOUTH BERWICK – Don Francis Waddell died August 19, 2019 following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 79 years old. Devoted to his family, Don’s greatest source of pride was his wife, children, and grandchildren. He will be remembered as a kind, compassionate, optimistic, and generous man whose greatest joy in life was doing for others.
Don was born May 25, 1940 in Presque Isle, Maine to Alton and Lora (Smith) Waddell. He graduated from Mapleton High School in 1958 and then Aroostook State Teachers College (University of Maine at Presque Isle) in 1962. That same year, he married Donna McCarthy, and the couple moved to Fort Kent, Maine where they launched their teaching careers. In Fort Kent, Don and Donna raised three children Kimberly, Bryce and Eric and lived and worked in the beautiful St. John Valley town for 32 years where he was an active member of the Fort Kent Rotary Club, the Masonic Lodge, and the Fort Kent Golf Club.
Don’s career in education began at Fort Kent Community High School where he served as a teacher, coach, and adviser. After earning his Masters Degree in School Leadership from the University of Maine, he was named athletics director, assistant principal, and finally principal of Community High School in Fort Kent. In 1985, Don was appointed Superintendent of Schools for Maine School Administrative District #27 (Fort Kent area), a position he proudly held until his retirement in 1993. In his retirement years, Don served as an educational consultant before his appointment as Business Manager for Maine School Administrative District #1 (Presque Isle area), a position he held until his second retirement in 2001.
In their retirement, Don and Donna enjoyed their winter home in Port Charlotte, Florida where they made wonderful memories and friends. In 2012, they moved from Presque Isle to South Berwick, Maine. For six years, Don received excellent care from many kind and compassionate healthcare providers at Clipper Harbor Healthcare Facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and his family is deeply grateful to those talented, loving, and hardworking providers who empowered Don to fight bravely against Parkinson’s Disease.
Don is survived by Donna, his loving and devoted wife of 57 years; along with his three children and their families Kimberly and Alan MacLean of Bangor and their children Audrey and Grace; Bryce and Shelly Waddell of Bangor and his children Evan and Layne (Layne’s wife, Lisa, and their son, River); Eric and Jennifer of South Berwick and their children Avery, Rowan, Ethan, and Liam.
Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 24th at Tasker Funeral Home, 621 Central Avenue, Dover, NH. A graveside service will also be hosted at outhside Cemetery, West Chapman Road, Mapleton, Maine on Saturday, August 31st at 4:00 PM. A reception will follow both services, and the Waddells welcome Don’s family and friends to join them at both events. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Don’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research.
Please go to www.taskerfh.com to sign the online guestbook.