Thomas F Monaghan

 

Scarborough - Following a brief illness, Thomas Monaghan of Portland passed away peacefully with his wife Janise by his side on January 7, 2017 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House (Hospice of Southern Maine).

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He was born in Gardiner, Maine, graduating from Gardiner High School and Maine Central Institute. He played varsity golf for and graduated from the University of Maine in 1954, majoring in History and Government. He then served two years in Germany with the Army's 11th Airborne Division, before entering Boston College Law School and graduating in 1959.

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After serving a year as a law clerk to US District Court Judge John Kilkenny in Portland, Oregon, he returned home to Maine and, shortly thereafter, founded the Portland, Maine law firm now known as Monaghan Leahy, LLP.

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In addition, from 1965-1966, he served as a prosecuting attorney for Cumberland County; in 1969, he served as Chair of the Portland Housing Authority; from 1971-1978, he was a member of the Maine State Board of Bar Examiners; and from 1974-1976, he served as President of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association. He also volunteered for decades as a board member of the Portland YMCA, where he coached his sons' basketball teams for many years in what was then known as the YMCA Church League.

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During the 1970's, he served as personal attorney to the Governor of the State of Maine, James Longley, representing Maine before the Supreme Judicial Court of the State of Maine and the Supreme Court of the United States. Among other matters, he represented Maine in what is commonly referred to as the Indian Land Claims Settlement. He also created and was a member of the State of Maine's Judicial Selection Committee, which still serves as the format for selecting Maine judges.

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In 1987, he was appointed as special counsel to the Maine Board of Bar Overseers and handled one of Maine's most high profile disciplinary proceedings, involving an alleged conflict of interest related to a prestigious Portland law firm's representation of former Scarborough Downs owner Joseph Ricci in a highly charged and publicized lawsuit against Key Bank.

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For fourteen years, from 1976 to 1990, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Maine System, including serving a term as Vice-Chair and two terms as Chair. His greatest achievement as Chair was the creation of the University of Southern Maine (USM), changing the name from the University of Maine Portland Gorham and departing from a Super-University concept with the University of Maine Orono at its center.

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Until his retirement in 2000, he was one of Maine's most preeminent and active civil trial attorneys, trying in excess of three hundred cases and winning the vast majority.

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In retirement, he enjoyed time with his wife, family, especially his grandchildren, and his friends. He counted his family as his greatest achievement. He is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Janise Bryand Monaghan, and his adopted children, Loren Bryand Boyce and her husband Joe and Michael Bryand, his wife Gilda and their children Vivian and Jonah. He is also survived by five sons with his late wife of 30 years, Anne Perry Monaghan: Michael Monaghan, his wife Ellen and their children Annie, Molly and Emma; Matthew Monaghan, his wife Karen and their children Erin and Casey; Ben Monaghan and his children Alina, Tsesa, Mieke and Nora Grace; Thomas (Tim) Monaghan, his children Mikayla, Cameron and Makenna Monaghan and his partner Holly Lockwood; and Seth Monaghan, his wife Alison and their children William and Charlie. He is also survived by his good friend and brother-in-law Charlie Perry and his wife Nancy and by a boy he raised as a son, Steve Abbott and his wife Jane.

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He was predeceased by his sister Kaye Corey and her husband C. Nelson (Nels) of Gardiner, Maine and by his brother Dr. Stephen D. Monaghan and his wife Louisa of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

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Visiting hours will on Thursday, January 12th from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Services at 660 Brighton Avenue, Portland, Maine.

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A funeral will be held on Friday, January 13th at 12:00PM at St. Pius X Church at 492 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine, followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery at 672 Stevens Avenue in Portland, Maine.

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In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his memory to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route One, Scarborough, ME, 04074 or by visiting their website at www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org ~and the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland at www.arlogp.org . ~