David Sanderson

David Sanderson, 80, Waterford, Maine, Friday, November 10, 2023, died as the result of a logging accident while assisting a neighbor.

David was born in Providence, Rhode Island to Robert and Julia Sanderson. He grew up there with his family and younger brother Arthur. David attended Brown University and engaged in graduate studies at Indiana University, before realizing that employment opportunities for English Ph.D.s in the late 1960's were few and far between.

It was at Indiana University that David met his future wife, Cathy who predeceased him. They married in 1970 and were together for 50 years of marriage, until Cathy's death in 2020. In 1973 the Sandersons moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts where David was engaged in the management of the New England Trail Riders Association, an organization that promoted off-road motorcycling.

David would go on to have a varied and diverse working life. This included stints in the world of marketing, acting as a lobbyist for the recreational vehicle industry, co-founding an early software startup and finally working as an Oracle database developer for many organizations around New England. David managed to sneak into retirement in the early 2000's and was soon living full-time at the family farm in Waterford.

David maintained a broad variety of interests which persisted throughout his life. An avid musician and amateur musicologist, he was proficient with the fiddle, guitar, banjo and other instruments. He was a self-tough welder, carpenter, stonemason and mechanic, but his life-long passion was for the house that his ancestors built in the 1860's. He was engaged in the preservation and improvement of this property until his very last day.

David will be known to many in the area for his historical research, knowledge and writing. The history of Waterford, Norway and the surrounding area was his primary focus. His written works were published in several journals, newspapers, magazines and other specialty publications. He had a special fondness for such local characters as Artemus Ward and Mellie Dunham.

While many would say that David had mellowed in the last few years of his life, there could be no mistake that he remained passionate about what mattered to him. He did not suffer fools; his opinions were strongly-held and shared freely. Amazingly generous at times, always making new discoveries, and frequently frustrating those who would cut corners, he remained unique until the end.

David is survived by son Stephen, his wife Betsy, grand-daughter Keira as well as brother Arthur, sister-in-law Susan, niece Angeline, nephew Andrew and many others.

No public service is currently planned. Instead we wish those who would honor his memory to make contributions to appropriate charitable or nonprofit organizations, such as local historical societies.

For consolation etc.: Sanderson, P.O. Box 186, Waterford Maine 04088