FALMOUTH – Arthur Paul McDermott, 95, a WWII Veteran formerly of Westbrook and Windham, died on Oct. 30, 2021 of complications from late-stage dementia at his home.

Arthur was born in early May 1926 to Paul P. McDermott and Annie (Gilbert) of Portland. He attended parochial school in Portland, then went to Cheverus High School where he played football for two years and was the president of the Senior Council. Arthur was the valedictorian of Cheverus High school in 1944. During high school he worked for an iceman, delivering blocks of ice to help support his family.

At the age of 18 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps where he served as the flight engineer on the A-26 Attack bomber. There was a crash of the A-26 bomber at Nichols field where Arthur was one of the four crewmen who sustained minor injuries as the plane crashed when it left the runway. He was in another two plane crashes which resulted in a reluctance to fly later on in civilian life. Arthur served as a Tech Sargent based in the Philippine Islands from where he left for night time bombing raids as a flight engineer on the A-26 Attack bomber, hitting nearby Japan; he later served in Army of Occupation in Japan.

After the war Arthur enrolled in the University of Maine Orono graduating in 1950 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also became a licensed civil engineer, draftsman, and surveyor.

Arthur was a Welterweight boxer known for a quick left punch which helped him win the 1948 Maine Golden Gloves Championship as a member of the University of Maine informal boxing team. He was known for his dedication to physical fitness, still doing his army fitness routines well into his late eighties including sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups.

In August 1951 he married Patricia A. Kilmartin, moved to Kittery and worked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a few years. The family then moved to Westbrook where Arthur worked for the Portland Water District, then at S.D Warren and other paper mills. He then worked as an engineer for the City of Portland on the Urban Renewal Project. After that he worked for the federal government as an inspector with the EDA Agency, and worked for the DOD at Bath Iron Works.

The family grew to seven children while living in Westbrook, eventually moving to Windham on Highland Lake in the 1970s.

Beginning in 1953 Arthur and Patricia purchased a great deal of property in the Falmouth and Windham area around the lake, often buying woodlots which had been stripped of lumber so were not considered valuable by the sellers. Arthur and Patricia built a campground called Highland Lake Park in the early 1970s on Route 302 in Windham. In its heyday the campground boasted a sandy beach with 43 campsites which they ran for several decades. Arthur enjoyed visiting with the campers and sitting around the campfire.

In 2010 Arthur and Patricia moved to their new home in Falmouth near several of their children and grandchildren. In 2010 they began the process of selling property to the town of Falmouth and the city of Westbrook. This property is now known as the Suckfish Brook Conservation area which has approximately 173 acres featuring a Northern Peat Bog, an observation platform and hiking trails. It is a protected home to numerous species.

Arthur was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Patricia, who passed away in 2015; his daughter, Emma Day (aka Jayne McDermott); and his siblings Mary Hansen, Polly Lawrence, Tom McDermott, Richard McDermott and Donald McDermott.

He is survived by his children residing in Falmouth – Rose Mary Coffin, Claire Langlois, Maura McDermott, Sarah McDermott, Paul McDermott and his son Arthur McDermott of Portland.

He is survived by seven grandchildren, Maggie Parrish of Santa Fe, N.M., Reed McDermott, Jordan McDermott, Molly McDermott, Ruth McDermott, Olivia McDermott and Elizabeth McDermott, all residing in Falmouth.

The family would like to say thanks to all the caregivers who have helped Arthur stay in his home since 2010 – Deb Reynolds, Karen Casale, Estelle Poole, Shauna Halliday, Corrie Canning and Sandy Taylor, who managed his affairs.

Visiting hours celebrating Arthur’s life will be held on Thursday, Nov. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Hyacinth Church, 268 Brown St., Westbrook. A reception in continued celebration of Arthur’s life will follow at the funeral home from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Interment will be held at a later date at Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta. To view Arthur’s memorial page or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

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