Martin Lewis Spahn

Martin Lewis Spahn of Hallowell, Maine died Friday, August 4, 2023 in a kayaking accident in the Bay of Fundy. He was born April 15, 1966 in Denver, Colorado, the sixth son and eighth child of Shirley Ann (Schmitz) and the late Eugene Francis Spahn. A French literature major at the University of Colorado Boulder, Martin joined the Peace Corps and served for four years as an agro-forester in the West African country of Togo. His work and immersion among the Moba people there inspired his lifelong love for the earth, its cultivation and its diverse peoples.

Upon returning to the United States, Martin put that passion to work in the community supported agricultural (CSA) initiative that he and his family founded and operated in Palermo, Maine. More recently, Martin worked as a member of the care team at Somerset House, a residential care facility in Norridgewock, Maine.

Having earned his MA degree in theological studies from Loyola University, New Orleans, Martin was deeply involved in the Catholic community of Augusta, Maine, through numerous spiritual and volunteer initiatives. Martin loved adventure and the outdoors. He was a ten time rider of the Trek Across Maine, a 3-day, 150-mile, biking fundraiser for the American Lung Association. Along with his son Eli, he hiked all 67 4,000 foot mountains in New England. Whether it was hiking, biking, kayaking or skiing, he was always looking forward to his next outdoor adventure.

He is survived by his pride and joy - his two sons: George of Highland Park, New Jersey and Eli of Rochester, New York. Other survivors include his large and grateful family, including his 92-year-old mother, and nine siblings. (Mary Rose Johnson (Greg) of Denver, Colorado; Katherine Wood (Mike) of Paonia, Colorado; Gregory (Jeanne) of Boulder, Colorado; Joseph (Nuri) of Wilmington, Delaware; Thomas of Englewood, Colorado; Rev. Father James of the Archdiocese of Denver; Thanh Nguyen (Melody) of Boulder, Colorado; Jeanette Bowles of Denver, Colorado; Jesuit Father Stephen of Baltimore. A memorial Mass will be celebrated for Martin at 11 am on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Augusta, Maine. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. John Paul II Parish in Thornton, Colorado (Frassati Catholic Academy) at 11 am on Saturday October 21, 2023.

Donations may be made to the Augusta Food Bank, a place where Martin frequently volunteered, and the Catholic Relief Services.