William "Bill" De Witt

Pownal - William S. DeWitt, 71 of Pownal died unexpectedly of natural causes on Friday August 12, 2011. Bill was born in Boston, MA on June 19, 1940 a son of Marion (Mead) and George N. De Witt. He came to Maine with his family in 1953 and settled in Durham. He enlisted in the US Army in 1957, served 3 years, the last 18 months in Okinawa.

Bill returned to Maine and married Thelma Keith. Bill spent the next 50 years on the Hodsdon Road raising a family & growing a real estate business. Bill came to be respected in the community and among his business peers as a plain spoken, no nonsense communicator, “who tells it like it is”.

Bill served his community in the following capacities: 1990-2002 - Chair of Pownal’s Town Hall (Mallett Hall) Building Committee – a two story addition to the original town hall was dedicated in 2000. The addition was awarded the 2000 Maine State Historic Preservation Award for excellence in historic preservation, new addition design, and accessibility design for a public building; 1999 - State of Maine Governor’s Service Award for outstanding volunteer leadership contributing to the betterment of his community; 2000 Annual Report Town of Pownal – dedicated to William DeWitt for his service to the town; 2004 – dedication of the newly completed second floor community room - naming it the De Witt Room; 1977-2011 - 34 years service on the town’s Budget Committee; 1998 – Honorary Life Membership Pownal Scenic & Historical Society awarded for service to the Society and the community; 1970 - member of the Acacia Lodge in Durham, ME where he attained the title of Master Mason.

He will be sorely missed & fondly remembered.

He is survived by his wife Thelma; his sons: Jeffrey De Witt and Thomas De Witt; his daughter Ramona De Witt Dyer; his siblings: Robert De Witt, Roy De Witt, Michael Robinson, Walter De Witt, Margaret Vosmus, Laura Foster, Veronica Cole; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A time of gathering and visitation will be held on Thursday August 18, 2011 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Lindquist Funeral Home, One Mayberry lane, Yarmouth, ME. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Pownal. Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view a video collage of Bill’s life and to share your condolences, memories and tributes with his family.

For those who wish, donations may be made in Bill’s memory to: Shriners Hospital International Headquarters, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.