Hans Waecker

Dr. Hans F. Waecker
GEORGETOWN - Dr. Hans F. Waecker, a retired osteopathic physician with a practice in Portland, and former professor of Family Medicine at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine died at home on Dec. 10, 2014.
He was born in Leipzig, Germany on Jan. 1, 1921. As a young teen he developed a life long love of jazz and learned to play drums. He was one of the original "swing kids" immortalized in the 1993 film. In 1940, while attending the University of Leipzig, he was drafted into the German Air Force. He was stationed in Holland, France and North Africa. During the war he was captured and brought to a prisoner of war camp in Nebraska. In each locale he would organize a band and play his beloved Jazz. Once while in a Paris café he was invited to play with Django Reinhard, an event he was proud of the rest of his life.
He returned to Stuttgart after the war and worked for the American Counsel of States as head translator where he met and later married his first wife, Lore. He also worked with a famous German puppeteer, Fritz Bross. He immigrated to Portland, Maine in 1949. When he emigrated from Germany to the U.S., he brought with him a set of Bross hand puppets In the early 50s Hans and his "Swabian Puppets," toured the South and the New England states, doing puppet shows for the School Assembly Service. The puppetry tours helped him to finance the completion of his medical education, interrupted by WWII.
He graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1962 and returned to Portland. He interned at Brighton Medical Center and then began his career in osteopathic family medicine. He loved caring for his patients and was one of those docs who still made house calls. He married his second wife Arline in 1966 after the untimely death of Lore. Hans kept musically active as drummer in a variety of bands and combos. He loved boats and sailing, spending free time on the waters of Casco Bay and his cottage on Cliff Island.
In 1975 he closed his medical practice and moved to Chicago to take a position as a professor teaching at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He retired in 1982 and returned to Maine permanently to live in his summer home on Cliff Island. There he continued with his life long hobbies of language, music, art, puppets and boats. He created a new set of puppets, some of which were later on display in 2002 at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland. In 2000 he made his final move to Georgetown.
He was predeceased by sons Nikolas in 1948 and Martin in 1987. He is survived by his wife, Martha Feehan of Georgetown; former wife, Arline Waecker of S. Portland; son Thomas Waecker and wife Ann of Cape Elizabeth, daughter Eva Jacobs and husband Richard of Standish, and daughter Stephanie Collins and husband Jeffrey of S. Portland. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Joshua Douglas, Michael Waecker, Lily and Adam Collins.
A special thanks to his many ccare givers including those from CHANS Home Health Care in Brunswick.
A service is to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please send donations in his memory to:
Georgtown Fire Dept./EMS
777 Five Islands Rd.
Georgetown, Maine 04548
Maine Osteopathic Education Fund
Care of ANGELA COLE
WESTHOFF
128 State St., Suite 102
Augusta, Maine 04330