Dennis Napoleon Fortin

SPRINGVALE — Dennis Napoleon Fortin passed away at his home in Springvale on Jan. 13, 2010.

Dennis was born on September 28, 1949, to Prosper August Fortin and Lucienne Lillian Fortin, of Brunswick.

Dennis attended Assumption Prep School in Worcester, Massachusetts, on academic scholarship. He later attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he was a member of the Students for a Democratic Society.

Dennis worked in the real estate and trucking industries, but he was a true jack-of-all-trades, with a remarkable ingenuity and knack for accomplishing specialized tasks for which he had no formal training. Carpentry and mechanics were favorite pastimes, and he devoted much of his time to maintaining and improving his home and other properties.

He had a strong interest in fostering and improving the Springvale community, and his projects included the historical restoration of two buildings on Main Street. He also served on the Sanford Zoning Board of Appeals and Solid Waste Task Force.

Dennis was an avid consumer of information and relished the opportunity to discuss issues and challenge the status quo. He had a strong interest in human rights and was an active donor to Amnesty International, CISPES Education Fund, Democracy for America, Doctors Without Borders, Food First, Maine People's Alliance, Mercy Corps, Mother Jones Foundation, Peace Action, Save the Children, and U.S. Fund for UNICEF. He also founded the Patricia E. Hasemann Foundation, which awards funds to help promote animal welfare.

Dennis was an outdoor enthusiast who particularly enjoyed running, cycling, and cross-country skiing. Many of his closest friends were running or cycling buddies. He was a founding member of the "Sweepers," a self-described "renegade cycling group" that enjoyed cycling, kayaking, and camping trips out West and in the Everglades.

Dennis is survived by two sisters, Prisca Tibbetts, of Sebago, and Joan Plummer, of Port Charlotte, Florida; one daughter, Nicole Marie Strangman, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts; one son, Mark Christopher Fortin, of Sanford; and 3 grandsons.

He is remembered as a loving and supportive father who tempered sage advice with self-deprecating humor. He was an exuberant and fun-loving grandfather, and his grandchildren adored him. He was generous and kind-hearted, the sort who would do something nice for you without being asked and without ever announcing the favor. His family and friends will all truly miss him.

A remembrance will be held in the spring.

Memorial donations in his name may be made to any of the charities mentioned above.