Adam Winslow Wilson III

Adam W. Wilson, III, of Scarborough, passed away peacefully in his sleep after a long, incredibly courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He went quietly into the arms of his Heavenly Father on April 15, 2025.

Adam was born in Portland, Maine on April 4, 1945. He attended Portland schools, obtained his GED, and successfully completed a National Radio Institute-McGraw Hill Continuing Education Center program with impressive grades. He was gifted in many areas of mechanics and electronics and could repair virtually anything. His family could always count on him to keep their vehicles in perfect working order, saving many an expensive trip to a mechanic. He was adept at managing all things about the family home and camp, often using ingenious innovations.

At a young age, Adam joined his father and grandfather in maintaining the family farm, known as River Basin Farms, with the Wilsons eventually transitioning to waste management enterprises. Adam worked tirelessly at his father's side until his Dad's passing, at which time Adam ran the family business entirely on his own, supporting his widowed mother and continuing to support the family homestead for two of his sisters. He was a source of faithful and generous support to many family members in times of need. He cared deeply about his family and was always willing to help.

He had great concern for nature and the environment. Truly a master gardener, he invested decades of care in landscaping and maintaining the remaining acreage of the farm. He could easily have lent his expertise and artistic eye to the gardens of an English manorial estate -- he filled the grounds of his home with such beauty people would stop to admire his handiwork.

Adam had a deep love for animals and great empathy for their vulnerability and suffering. His pets through the years included a beloved burro, rabbits, a feisty rooster, and three adored dogs -- Lance, Willy, and Buddy. The latter two were rescue beagles, with Buddy being extremely ill and requiring special-needs care. Adam pushed through the ravages of his own Parkinson's disease to give Buddy constant love and support. His love was not limited to his own pets, as he was utterly instrumental in enabling his sister to provide care to her own dogs, Adam's generosity greatly helping extend her dogs' lives.

He had a brilliant, comprehensive grasp on astronomy and could articulate his knowledge with the fluency of an academic. He loved music and was interested in ballroom dancing, at which he was a natural. He also enjoyed tooling around his much-loved workshop, tinkering with projects of all kinds. He enjoyed classic cars but was especially known for his love of boating. His jet boat was his pride and joy and the talk of Highland Lake throughout the 1980's. He shared this love of boating especially with his Dad and the two of them spent long hours together on the lake.

Adam was a kind, sensitive soul, often pondering the great existential questions of life. He was deeply moved by suffering or injustice. A rock of support in time of trouble, he always had a kind word for the broken heart. He dealt with many setbacks in life, manifesting grace and courage. He will be deeply missed by his family -- many of us will feel lost until we are with him again.

Adam was predeceased by his beloved father, Adam W. Wilson. Father and son shared the closest of relationships for a lifetime. His cherished mother, Helen L. Wilson, also predeceased him. He is survived by his sisters: Georgia Hurtubise (and her husband, Gordon) of Cape Elizabeth; Deborah Galarneau (and her husband, Preston) of North Yarmouth; Gayle DiFiore (and her fiancé, Lew Hinds) of Scarborough; and Abby Wilson of Scarborough. He is also survived by many special nieces and nephews.

Adam's family particularly wishes to thank the providers, administrators, and nursing staff at Sedgewood Common. It would be impossible to list the many, individual names of the compassionate, wonderful nurses who lavished kindness, patience, and respect upon Adam. No words can adequately thank them for their dedication.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Adam may be made to: Tall Tails Beagle Rescue (207-333-0040; www.talltailsbeaglerescue.org); the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (207- 854-9771); the Humane Farming Association (415-485-1495); or the Parkinson's Foundation.

A funeral service for family and close friends will be held at 11 AM at Trinity Episcopal Church (580 Forest Ave., Portland) on May 7, 2025. Place of interment is still to be determined.