Paul Warren Peaslee

Paul “Bo” Warren Peaslee, 71

Paul “Bo” Warren Peaslee, 71, of Portland ME, passed away unexpectedly on January 23, 2018, after a brief illness. Paul was born in Portland at Maine General Hospital and grew up in an Air Force family, traveling and living all over the United States. His very first jobs were as a paperboy, a potato picker, and a golf caddy in Fort Fairfield, ME. His high school years in Alaska were among the most dear to Paul. He attended all 4 years at West Anchorage High and graduated from there in June of 1964, not long after the great earthquake on Good Friday. During his high school years, he worked as a barkeep in the officer’s club on the Air Force Base. After graduation, Paul lived in San Francisco for a short time where he worked as a mail handler for Crocker Citizen’s Bank. He returned to Bath, ME before joining the Air Force and serving 4 years in the 509th Security Police, 6 months in Guam and the remainder at Pease Air Force Base in NH where he guarded bombers armed with nuclear weapons. After his service, he worked at Jordan’s Ready-To-Eat-Meats as a laborer. He loved working for the Jordan Family but he had other ambitions. He took advantage of the GI Bill’s education benefit and attended the University of Maine in Orono where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering. For a short time, he worked in Maine as a resident engineer for Wright, Pierce, Wyman & Barnes, then moved to the Washington D.C. area and worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Engineer/Analyst and a Research Environmental Engineer at Fort Belvoir, VA. A decision to move his family back to Maine led him to work at Bath Iron Works as the Manager of CAD/CAM Support. After 8 years at BIW, Paul accepted an IT position at Maine Medical Center in Portland as a Database Administrator supporting the hospital’s implementation of an electronic medical record. Paul worked at MMC for 25 years and retired from there in June of 2015.

Paul is survived by his wife, Deborah Heald, his daughter, Rebecca Ruth (Jon), grandchildren, Bailey and Emma Ruth, brothers Bruce Peaslee (Cecelia) and Timothy Peaslee (Cheryl), sisters Jean Dunlap (Sam), Eileen Peaslee, Elaine Walsh (Bill), Colleen DiMattei (Chris), and Paula O’Leary (Jim), stepdaughter, Abby Hutchins (Michael) , step-grandchildren, Lily and Noah Hutchins, and many nieces and nephews.

Paul was predeceased by his mother, Doreen A. Peaslee, his father, Paul R. Peaslee, his brother, Brian D. Peaslee and his nephew, Patrick Peaslee.

Paul loved life, his family, friends, his church, computers, books and music, even opera on NPR weekend radio! He dedicated himself to his family and work, he was very sweet and generous, faithful and kind, a true friend and colleague. He never let a phone call, a conversation, or a visit with family members or close friends end without saying, “I love you”. One of his greatest joys was driving his truck on excursions exploring the countryside. He was interested in just about everything and you could talk with him about anything. His whole life, he was an avid reader. He loved to make up stories for the children and you could depend on them being wild, funny and irreverent. He loved fishing and the outdoors, and reminisced often with lots of laughter about those happy times, years ago, fishing with his daughter or his brothers and nephews. And, his lifelong love and retelling of escapades about cherished pets never ceased with his dogs Stinky, Bridie Murphy, Sally, Violet, and Ivy (Paul always said he was half dog), and his cats Liz, Sim, Sidney, and Zoe.

A memorial service for Paul will be held at the First Lutheran Church of Portland, 132 Auburn Street, Portland, ME, on Saturday, July 14, 2018, at 11:00 am, followed by refreshments and gathering time for family and friends in the church’s Fellowship Hall.

Gifts in Paul’s memory may be made to the First Lutheran Church of Portland, 132 Auburn Street, Portland, ME 04013 or to The Alaska Community Foundation (designated for the West Anchorage High Foundation Fund), 3201 C Street, Suite 110, Anchorage, AK 99503.

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