Paul Dana Weeks

Although born over the border in Manchester, NH, Paul D. Weeks was at heart a true Mainer. Calm, dependable, and happiest when he was in the woods or by the sea, Paul grew up on a small farm in Candia, NH, with his parents, Harlan and Lillian Weeks, and his brother Don. It was in Candia that he met his future wife, Patricia Mowles, when he shot her with a round of birdshot as she bicycled by. Pat evidently forgave him, as she was the algebra tutor that saved his academic record at Central High. His other high school activities included jumping hurdles as a member of the track team and a few too many days playing hooky in a 1938 Ford coupe.

After serving in WWII (Army) and 3 years in the Air Force reserve, Paul attended the University of New Hampshire on the G.I. Bill. He had fond memories of his Lambda Chi fraternity brothers and graduated cum laude as a history major in 1952. He and Pat married later that year, and he spent the next 70 years claiming that the secret to their long happy marriage was his ability to say “yes, dear.” While his favorite job may have been delivering Moxie to small general stores, he spent many years as a company man for Equifax until his retirement in 1989. After retirement, he and Pat traveled all over the U.S., Europe and even to Fiji. Pat and Paul lived in Gorham from 1965 until a 2022 move to Westbrook.

Paul’s interests included fishing, the Red Sox, rocks and minerals, and heading to the woods for family camping. He tortured his family with his love of bagpipe music which he played loudly while marching around the living room. He and Pat enjoyed rehabilitating a cottage on Peaks Island where they spent many summers. He was an avid collector of Moxie memorabilia, and claimed in retirement to be a dog trainer, although the only dog he “trained” was a decidedly untrainable basset hound named Rebel. He was proud to be a longtime member of the Gorham Lions Club, where he volunteered at their summer antique car show, performed as a clown in the Gorham 4th of July Parade, and once, at their annual variety show, danced the can-can right off the stage.

Paul, AKA PopPop, will be remembered for his kindness, family dedication, and his dry Yankee sense of humor. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Patricia, and his daughters, Sharon Whitten and Debbie Johnson. He loved being PopPop to his beloved grandchildren, Jenna Davis and Tucker Johnson, and to their partners, Owen Davis and Emma DayBranch. Alzheimer‘s never robbed him of his love for the family dogs, Della, Luna, and Osa, and he always had room on his lap for his favorite cat Fred. Funeral plans will be for a summer celebration of a long life, well lived.