Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
About
Donald Weston Obituary
Don was born May 2, 1918, in Madison, to Wallace and Nettie (Williams) Weston. He was raised on the family dairy farm and attended schools in Madison.
He graduated in 1941 from the University of Maine with a degree in mechanical engineering. Immediately after graduation he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. On Jan. 12, 1942, he married Theodora Wright of Springfield, Vt. Two days later Don shipped out and ended up spending 46 months in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war, Don continued to serve his country in the Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1964. In 1946, Don and Teddy moved to Caribou, where he went to work for Birdseye-Snider Company as plant manager. Four years later he became the chief engineer at Loring Air Force Base, Limestone. In 1957, they moved to Winterport, when Don accepted a position as deputy base engineer at Dow Air Force Base, Bangor. He semi-retired after the base closed down in 1968; however, he soon ran out of projects to do around the house. In 1971, Don Weston started up the environmental technology program at Eastern Maine Vocational Technical Institute (now Eastern Maine Community College) in Bangor. He retired for good in 1979.
Scouting was always an important part of his life. He was in scouts as a boy, his father being the scoutmaster. Don was scoutmaster for Troop 181 in Caribou for several years and was on the troop committee for Troop 234 in Winterport. He was very proud of his four children who all went through the scouting program, including three Eagle Scouts. He continued to serve on Katahdin Area Council Executive Board up to his passing. In 1990, he was presented with the Silver Beaver Award, the highest recognition of the Boy Scouts of America.
Don was a registered professional engineer and a licensed land surveyor. He was a life member and past president of Maine Association of Engineers, past state president and national director of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He was awarded Life-Time Achievement Award by Maine Wastewater Control Board. Governor Brennan appointed him to the State Licensing Board for establishing standards for water and sanitary plant operators.
Don and Teddy were always active in the community where they lived. Don served on the planning boards of both Caribou and Winterport. He was a trustee on the Winterport Water and Sewer Districts, serving as chairman for 15 years. Don was also active in the Winterport Historical Society and Winterport Union Meeting House Association. He acted as moderator at town meetings for several years and served on the Winterport Conservation Committee. He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor.
After their retirement in 1979, Don and Teddy traveled extensively in their recreational vehicle, making many trips all over the country and to Alaska. They also toured in Europe, Canada and Australia. Don enjoyed many hobbies including woodworking, collecting and reading books, rocks and minerals, making maple syrup, maintaining his orchard, gardening, hunting, fishing, and spending time at their camp in Ellsworth. Don was a member in good standing of the Wilderness Mountain Hunting Club. He loved the outdoors, as he loved all aspects of life.
Don is survived by Teddy, his wife of 67 years; his brother, William Weston of Rumford; son, John and his wife, Teri Weston, of Glens Falls, N.Y.; daughter, Anne and her husband, Clint Worthley, of Hampden; son, Stephen and his companion, Terrilyn Simpson, of Winthrop; son, Peter and his wife, Judy Weston, of Scarborough; and several nieces and nephews. His grandson, Joel Weston of Colorado, will miss Grampy very much.
He was predeceased by his parents and his brothers, Wallace and Robert.
A service of remembrance and gratitude for Don's life will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, July 24, at Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden, with the Rev. Becky Gunn, Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, officiating. Interment will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Winterport.
Because of Don's lifelong association with the Boy Scouts, the family suggests contributions be made in his memory to Boy Scouts of America, Katahdin Area Council, P.O. Box 1869, Bangor, ME 04402. Messages of condolence and memories may be shared through www.hamp dengilpatrick.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Donald Weston
Margaret Crossman
July 29, 2009
I work for the Winterport Water District. Since the Weston’s house is next to the water pumping station I feel fortunate to have taken part in several wonderful conversations with both Teddy and Don. Following a visit with Don my spirits would lift and a sense of purpose was renewed as his zest for life was always contagious.
His knowledge of water and wastewater was extensive. A few years ago he assisted me in closing a gate valve in front of his house. It did not move easily but together we turned the valve. The next day my shoulders were very sore. I asked Don how he was feeling… at age 89, turning a tight gate valve… he was fine. Yes, a fine man he was.
Sincere condolences to Don’s family and friends
Steve Lane
July 29, 2009
I won't forget the very first time I had the opportunity to meet Don about 7 years ago. I was in a very bad predicament working on the town's water system and had been laboring at a very undesirable task. I briefly looked up to see someone watching my every move and it was Don Weston. He asked if I was having fun yet and if he could help in any way. It would be many more times throughout my time working in Winterport where Don would offer his help and also his wisdom.
I was very sad to hear of Don's passing recently. I will certainly miss my many conversations with Don particularly his reminiscing about the early days of the water utility operations here in Winterport.
Please accept my heartfelt condolences and know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Steve and Nancy Dudley
July 25, 2009
A big hug to Teddy and the rest of the family. Don was a special person who not only did so much locally, but was always enthusiastic about sharing his love of family history with his western cousins. In so many ways he will be missed.
Dawn Beswick
July 23, 2009
Dear Anne, Teddy & Clint,
I am so sorry for the loss of your husband and father. He certainly touched many lives and was a very special person. Please accept my heartfelt condolences and know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Sincerely,
Dawn Beswick
July 23, 2009
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Kate Verrill
Mary Goodman
July 23, 2009
Dear Teddy and Family,
Don will be missed terribly by the residents of Winterport and by the Boy Scout Troop 234. He always attended and supported the boys at their Eagle Scout ceremonies and his love for Scouting has been an inspiration for all Scouting families. We are so sorry for your loss, he was a terrific man who shared so much of himself to others.
Sincerely, Mary, Greg, Eagle Scouts Matt, Ryan and upcoming Eagle Scout Max Goodman.
Pat & Lou Madrazo
July 23, 2009
Dear Teddy,
Sincere sympathy
I served with Don on some Winterport
committees. He was a model, a gentleman, and made a great contribution to the town.
He will be remembered.
Pat Madrazo
Linda & Ray Hardy
July 23, 2009
Please accept our deepest sympathies. I have so many fond memories of Don and Teddy in my many visits to Winteport and the camp on Pattern Pond. Anne and I were best of friends growing up.
Mary Ellen Weston
July 23, 2009
So many wonderful family gatherings to remember ...thank you Uncle Donald for being part of my happy childhood. Your quiet strength was a rock for all your family...you will be so missed...
(along with your maple syrup and home brewed beer...that was soooo good!...did I ever say thank you enough?)
Scott Clukey
July 22, 2009
Dear Family of Don Weston, A true gentleman in all the sense of the word. I first met Mr. Weston through the Environmental Courses at EMVIT and then went on to work with him in Scouting. A great resource and help whenever I needed that extra hand. May God grant you peace.
Rafael Canton
July 22, 2009
If my wife, Jane Ann Smith, were still living, I'm sure she would join me in sending a warm, empathic hug to the immediate members of Donald's family
Carol Bell
July 22, 2009
I graduated from the Environmental Control Technology Course in 1975 and was the only girl in the class. I have wonderful memories of Mr. Weston. At the time I did not know he had come from a military background and am not sure how he put up with all of us. I am sure it was a challenge for him but we never saw it. He was a great teacher and would do whatever he needed to so we would be successful. I believe because of the expectations and support from Mr. Weston and Mr. Littlefield, that is what made me successful. I started in a potato processing plant testing water and wastewater, from there I went into quality control for an oriented strand board mill,and after 10 years in QC, I became general manager of the mill for 8 years. I decided to go in a different direction and am now in Public Health. What better place to have a backgound in water and wastewater than public health. I have many wonderful memories from EMVTI, the great instructors and the many friends I made. I want to offer my condolences to the family of Mr. Weston. He was a wonderful person and I do owe my success in part to his guidance and support.
Godspeed Mr. Weston, we will continue to work to protect our precious environment as you watch over us.
July 22, 2009
To Teddy and family of Lt. Col. Donald Weston, USA( r), member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA): We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to all of you at this very trying time. We are very proud to have had Don as a respected, faithful member of our military group in Maine. Rest in Peace, Sir. Capt. Arthur Allen, Ph.D.,USAR(R), Sec., PineTreeChapter of MOAA
Tim Levasseur
July 22, 2009
These are the “cheat sheet” notes I used for the Award presentation at MWWCA meeting.
Tim LeVasseur, I hope it helps, in reading this, of how I felt about Don. 7/22/09
1. Thank you president Macarvitch, OTHERS?
2. Good day
3. My name is Tim LeVasseur; I am the superintendent at the KSTD, Waterville Me.
4. I am pleased to present for MWWCA a Life Time Achievement Award. This Award is an Acknowledgement to persons who may or may not be actively working in the wastewater field but in some significant way, they have provided additional strength to the goal of what MWWCA has become and for what it stands for.
5. The Life Time Achievement Award has been presented only two times in the past
6. Mr. Frank Woodard and
7. Richard Bentzel. Both of these past recipients have provided a great deal of Professionalism to the MWWCA membership in many ways.
8.
9. This years Award is to acknowledge two individuals for there involvement to better the environment.
10. They provide a service of wastewater training to many of the State of Maine treatment plant operators.
11. It is not uncommon to here the result of a question to any of the States waste waster treatment operators,” Where did you receive their training before they began to work in the field “most likely the answer will be At EMVTI “.
12. These recipients provided a direct connection in the State of Maine clean water efforts.
13.
14. I would like to ask the audience for a poll. Please stand if you had attended EMVTI.
15. (FROM ) the result of above consider who knows of a person who attended EMVTI Environmental Control Studies PLEASES stand
16.
17. I would like to introduce today recipients.
18. Mr. Donald Weston and Mr. Ted Littlefield.
19. Applause
20. Don and Ted is present with there significant other Mrs.,Weston and Mrs. Littlefield.
21. Today recipients Donald Weston of Winterport and Ted Littlefield of Hamden.
22. Both were the professor at the Bangor’s campus of EMVTI Environmental Control Studies
23. The Environmental Control Studies started in 1971 and lasted 16 years or until 1988
24. During that time, an estimate 100 student graduate with and Associated Degree in Environmental Control.
25. Various issues were study such as Air, Noise, Water and Wastewater treatment. The study involved a great deal of laboratory time in physics, chemist, air, water and wastewater testing. Various other course studies were in Math, technical writing, Mechanical drawing and psychology.
26. The first year of the Environmental Control study was in 1972.
27. Don Weston was the only person overlooking the environment class for the first year.
28. EMVTI had recently opened in 1970. The institute decided to be the Flagship campus to provided training for the State of Maine future operators in charge. Many wastewater facilities were in the planning stage of design. In addition, many work not even in design stage.
29. Don had just retired as a servile worker at the Dow Air Force Base, now called Bangor International Airport.
30. Don title was the Deputy Base Engineer overlooking a group of six engineers. There duties dealt with the bases civil engineering needs.
31. In 1951 Don was involved at the Loaring Air Base in Limestone Maine
32. His duties was overseeing the water, waste water and ground water on the base
33. In the late 1940s, Don was involved in a company in northern Maine called “Bird Eye “which manufactory process peas and potato products. His job was to set up the water and waste waster systems for this industrial company.
34. Don first exposure to water and wastewater was in early1942 on and islands call Bora-Bora, which is about 100 miles from Tahiti. The Island was and important part of the second WW responds to provide fueling for the shipping and plane lanes to Australia. US use the island to set up an Air Base. Don being a recent graduate of UMO in Civil Engineering and a 2nd lieutenant was in charge working with the First Navel “CBs” to provide the water and wastewater plumbing for about 5000 troops.
35. Don’s favorer memories is recalling the first year semester in 1972.
36. The EMVTI “Environmental Wing” was still under construction. This presented a major situation of classrooms. He had to find areas for the classes to Study. He found empty rooms for and hour here and there such as the industrial shop area, Library and cafeteria. He also used any other location that was free to hold a class.
37. After the Christmas break the wing was completed, and by the way did I mention that this wing also was housing a Culinary Arts group.
38. Don recalls that his first thoughts of sharing a new wing with the future chefs could possibly bring some home cooked food for lunch and breaks.
39. HOWEVER, shortly after the 2nd semester started, Don had the class start up a miniature wastewater plant in the lab. Sludge was beginning to be generated from the synthetic blend of sewage made of dirt, sugar and Dog food. The school would not allow any real sewage to be used.
40. Just down the hall from the wastewater class was the chef class, which as I recall really cooked some great food. Well less just, say we had our first odor complaint at the EMVTI wastewater facility in the spring of 1973. The head chef was not pleased with Don.
41. Don also felt the day trip to various facility through the state was very helpfully for the students
42.
43. Ted Littlefield began his career at EMVTI after completing 20 years as a mechanical engineering with a title of Base Chief Engineer at Dow Air Force base in Bangor Maine. Both Ted and Don had worked together at Dow,
44. One year after the first EMVTI class started or in 1973, Ted was hired. The course description was to expose the class to water treatment in year one and wastewater in year two.
45. Just like the first year, the students and Ted needed to develop and adjust the course description and begin to use the new laboratories for the wastewater study.
46. Many laboratory items were still in deliver boxes. As classes started, Ted use this situation to his advantage, the students started up then lab and worked with Ted to make the educational process work. It been said that,” Just as it was starting up a new wastewater treatment plant”.
47. Ted reflections of those years involve his challenge to relate to the various levels of student age and education background. All the classes have a diverse group, which presented challenges for Ted to overcome.
48. After working on a military base for 20 years, Ted had to re learn how to relate to a younger generation which he had loss contact with.
49. Ted Knowledge of Heat and Ventilation and other mechanical knowledge place a heavy work load on to the students and times over burden some students.
50. But Ted Did achieve the intend of the Course, which was to provide a well rounded operator with Knowledge of various disciplines, such as Instrumentation, HVAC, water hydraulics and physics.
51. Ted reflects on the challenges of developing wastewater-training aids for each class. One memory was building a table top RBC. In addition, engineer from Seawall Company subjected using a small drum cut in half and then turn 33 ½ rpm Records thru the wastewater this would represent a tabletop RBC unit. The students completed the job and place the unit in a successful bench test. Just to give one how Ted and Don used creative ides the RBC unit used records from a local Bangor radio station, which donated the records.
52.
53. Conclusion
54. The environmental Course had one of the most demanding number of hours of Labs as compare to the other course given at EMVTI
55. During the running of the 15 year of environmental classes, it was advertised to be one of the highest starting pay levels after graduation of all other course given at EMVTI.
56. One can visit just about any facility in the State of Maine and find a graduate from EMVTI
57. Many of the State responsibly in charge operators are a graduate of EMVTI which Don and Ted trained
58. DON and TED, I know in my heart and many others in the State of Maine will remember your efforts to train us. If we could do it, again I believe all of us would jump at that oppintuenity.
59.
60. As a represented of MWWCA, we wish to present the Acknowledgement to Don and Ted for there Life Time Achievement in helping the State of Maine goal of clean water.
Wes
July 22, 2009
Rest in peace, fellow veteran. I salute you.
July 22, 2009
Please accept our deepest sympathies.
Don was always a gentlemen and a great person to be around and share time and stories with. Hunting trips to Lexington, grafting of apple trees, cider making, would not have been the same without his company and imput.
David and Linda Newell, Freeport, Maine
Peter Weston
July 22, 2009
Thanks to all who have offered their condolences to our family. Dad had a great life, and he touched many people's lives with his quiet way of always helping others. Dad was a humble man who did so much to make this a better world.
Showing 1 - 17 of 17 results
Make a Donation
in Donald Weston's name
Memorial Events
for Donald Weston
How to support Donald's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Donald Weston's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
