Lawrence Everett Merrill

Orrington - Lawrence Everett "Larry" Merrill, 82, died on September 15, 2026. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on July 27, 1944, to Everett E. and Laura C. Merrill, whose ancestors had lived in Maine for generations but had moved to Massachusetts temporarily to join the WWII effort. He had a sister, Linda, born in 1942, and later a brother, Ray, born in 1953.

The family moved to North Penobscot, Maine, in April, 1946, where Larry started Sub-primary in 1949 in a one-room schoolhouse with one teacher and five grades. He attended Penobscot schools through 8th grade, then attended George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, graduating as Salutatorian in 1962. Then he graduated from Amherst College cum laude in 1966 and NYU Law School in 1969.

Larry was a frustrated athlete. He wasn't very big, very fast, or very well coordinated. His first athletic success was with kayak racing, which he did for decades. As the competition died or retired, he also had some success in running races in his 60's and 70's. He also liked canoeing, hiking, biking, skating, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Cats were constant with Larry, from the one that attacked and nearly killed him when he was one year old, to a number of excellent friends through the years, including the last one, Angel. He had two good dogs, Katie and Bella, but cats are so much easier. He enjoyed having a bird feeder, which also attracted squirrels, deer, raccoons, skunks, bobcats, foxes, and bears.

Larry practiced law in Bangor for over fifty years, starting with what is now Rudman-Winchell and ending as a sole practitioner. In the early years, he did just about everything from criminal law (once winning ten cases in a row) to divorces, but later he specialized in office things like real estate. He made many friends among clients, some of whom he worked with for decades.

His first marriage, to Diana, lasted only about two years until a divorce. The second, to Rachel, lasted a little over 35 years until she died with COVID in 2021. No children came from either union.

Larry loved to buy and sell real estate, and sometimes fix it up some while he owned it, being something of a frustrated builder. He owner-financed about fifty-five properties, often to people who couldn't finance through a bank. Most of them appreciated the opportunity.

As a frustrated builder, he built many wooden items like bookcases, shelves, kitchen islands, boats, and paddles. He patented the "Merrill Paddle" which he still thinks is better than other paddles for kayaking in many ways.

Larry was predeceased by his father in 1967, mother in 2005, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by sister, Linda Kalish (husband Ed); brother, Ray Merrill; nephew, John Elias (wife Leah); niece, Joy Cassidy (husband Andrew); great-nephews, Brandon, Roman and Tucker Cassidy; and many cousins.

Relatives and friends are invited to call from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, where a funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 10, 2026. All are invited to share conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center St., Bangor, immediately following the service. Interment will follow the reception, which will be held at 4:00 pm in the Hillside Cemetery, Front Ridge Road, N. Penobscot.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be made to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 Mount Hope Ave, Bangor, Maine 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com