Bradford Sargent Wellman

Bradford S. Wellman - 3/6/1931 - 10/25/2026

Sorrento

Bradford S. Wellman, born March 6, 1931, in Salem, Massachusetts, the youngest son of Sargent Holbrook Wellman and Mary Lines Wellman, died in Scarborough, Maine on October 25, 2026 surrounded by family.

He attended Phillips Andover Academy (1948) and Amherst College (1952). He married the love of his life Alice Wheatland in 1952. After service in the Navy (LTJG) during the Korean Conflict, he attended Harvard Law School (1957).

Following law school, he joined the family timber business and moved the family to Bangor, Maine to see how that might work out. He and Alice spent the next sixty-nine years raising their family and loving Maine, its people and its institutions. In addition to managing the family business, he served two terms in the State Legislature (1961-1964), and served on many boards and institutions business, religious and charitable including the Finance Authority of Maine, Maine Mutual Insurance Company, Northeast Bank & Trust and Bangor Water District.

In retirement he enjoyed traveling with his wife which often found them in places much colder than Maine, often in search of exotic birds. He developed an intense love of the North Maine Woods and fly fishing in particular and passed that love to his children and granddaughters. While he enjoyed a trout for breakfast, he was fond of saying that fishing was far more satisfactory than catching. Brad relived his youth as a gentleman farmer's son as he gardened, kept bees, tapped maples, made jelly, cleared brush, and raised Christmas trees. In addition, he enjoyed woodworking, fly-tying and keeping his Model A Ford running. He was an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers. A keen student of history as well, Brad was especially interested in the U.S. Civil War, especially the engagements of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

Brad is survived by Alice, his spouse of 74 years, children Richard and his wife Christine, David and his wife Karen, Katharine (Trina) Wellman, Howard Wellman and his wife Caroline, and granddaughters Hannah, Emory, Amelia, Caroline and Eleanor.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "RSU 24 Fund" at the Maine Community Foundation (207-667-9735) which supports students from the greater Sorrento, ME area pursuing a career in the trades.

Burial will be private. A memorial service will be announced for the summer.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.