Obituary for Donald Wilbur Maxim
Donald Maxim, 88, was born October 19, 1934 and passed in Bradenton, FL on March 7, 2023.
Donald married the love of his life and lifelong partner, Bertha, 68 years ago. They worked the farm together, but did make sure to travel, with and without the kids, to both coasts in the United States, Bermuda, Mexico and Spain. These travels were by car or cruise ship to Alaska. Our infamous trip was Dad driving the Pontiac with both kids, hauling a pop up camper, all the way to Yellowstone Park and back to Maine.
Donald started farming potatoes shortly after high school. Once he had gotten into a number of small stores, it was a handshake deal with the owner of Cottle’s grocery store to buy whatever quantity of potatoes he could produce, that led to years of growth. As stores were added, Donald grew more acres of potatoes, eventually providing over 3 million pounds of produce per year to 9 Hannaford Shop & Save stores. At the same time he was growing potatoes, he also raised broiler chickens for Penobscot poultry, ranking in the top of their producers. This
took a lot of the guess work out of what was going to be on the dinner table between the two foods.
Despite the long hours farming, Donald also found time to help out in the community. He served as town selectman, little league coach, school board Chairman, or member of the local Mason organization. He joined Anah shrine in 1978. After years of helping out in all areas of the group, he was elected to be Potentate in 2000, a honor he truly cherished.
Retiring from farming, led to the sale of some of his land into what is now the permanent home of the Common Ground Fair. The rest of the family homestead was sold recently to Nova farms. He was very happy that the sale of these two large pieces of land would continue as farmland.
Donald loved to hunt and fish. He seldom had a year that a nice buck wasn’t put in the freezer. He also used to go to Canada to bring back a moose. Many evenings were spent on local lakes trolling for salmon or sitting in a small row boat looking at a bobber. He also loved ice fishing.
Donnie and Bert loved their Florida home and spent the last two years there. Donnie played golf at the local course, winning several tournaments. They both enjoyed going out to eat at many local restaurants.
Surviving Donald, is his wife Bertha; son, Larry Maxim of Blue Hill; daughter, Paula Maxim and her husband Thomas Duarte of Veazie; grandsons, Kevin Lewis of Brunswick, Aaron Lewis and his wife Courtney, of Thorndike, along with his great-grandkids, who he cherished, Dominic and Sadie, of Thorndike; and great-granddaughter, Summer Lewis, of Phoenix. He was recently pre-deceased by his grandson, Ryan Lewis.
A celebration of Donald’s life will be held from 1-3:00 PM, Saturday, April 8, 2023, at the Family Remembrance Center, 163 Center Street, Bangor. Family and friends are asked to to join us after Don's Life Celebration at Season's Restaurant at 3:30 PM for a social gathering. Please RSVP with the family. Gifts in Donald’s memory may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, C/O Anah Shrine Center, 1404 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
Donald married the love of his life and lifelong partner, Bertha, 68 years ago. They worked the farm together, but did make sure to travel, with and without the kids, to both coasts in the United States, Bermuda, Mexico and Spain. These travels were by car or cruise ship to Alaska. Our infamous trip was Dad driving the Pontiac with both kids, hauling a pop up camper, all the way to Yellowstone Park and back to Maine.
Donald started farming potatoes shortly after high school. Once he had gotten into a number of small stores, it was a handshake deal with the owner of Cottle’s grocery store to buy whatever quantity of potatoes he could produce, that led to years of growth. As stores were added, Donald grew more acres of potatoes, eventually providing over 3 million pounds of produce per year to 9 Hannaford Shop & Save stores. At the same time he was growing potatoes, he also raised broiler chickens for Penobscot poultry, ranking in the top of their producers. This
took a lot of the guess work out of what was going to be on the dinner table between the two foods.
Despite the long hours farming, Donald also found time to help out in the community. He served as town selectman, little league coach, school board Chairman, or member of the local Mason organization. He joined Anah shrine in 1978. After years of helping out in all areas of the group, he was elected to be Potentate in 2000, a honor he truly cherished.
Retiring from farming, led to the sale of some of his land into what is now the permanent home of the Common Ground Fair. The rest of the family homestead was sold recently to Nova farms. He was very happy that the sale of these two large pieces of land would continue as farmland.
Donald loved to hunt and fish. He seldom had a year that a nice buck wasn’t put in the freezer. He also used to go to Canada to bring back a moose. Many evenings were spent on local lakes trolling for salmon or sitting in a small row boat looking at a bobber. He also loved ice fishing.
Donnie and Bert loved their Florida home and spent the last two years there. Donnie played golf at the local course, winning several tournaments. They both enjoyed going out to eat at many local restaurants.
Surviving Donald, is his wife Bertha; son, Larry Maxim of Blue Hill; daughter, Paula Maxim and her husband Thomas Duarte of Veazie; grandsons, Kevin Lewis of Brunswick, Aaron Lewis and his wife Courtney, of Thorndike, along with his great-grandkids, who he cherished, Dominic and Sadie, of Thorndike; and great-granddaughter, Summer Lewis, of Phoenix. He was recently pre-deceased by his grandson, Ryan Lewis.
A celebration of Donald’s life will be held from 1-3:00 PM, Saturday, April 8, 2023, at the Family Remembrance Center, 163 Center Street, Bangor. Family and friends are asked to to join us after Don's Life Celebration at Season's Restaurant at 3:30 PM for a social gathering. Please RSVP with the family. Gifts in Donald’s memory may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, C/O Anah Shrine Center, 1404 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.