- Date Of Death: October 16, 2012
- State: Maine
Willard A. Monsell,77, of Damariscotta, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, died October 16, 2012 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA following a three week hospitalization and heart surgery. He was born November 6, 1934, in Port Jefferson, Long Island, New York to Ethel and Willard B. Monsell. He lived on Long Island until 1985, when the family moved to Kent, Connecticut. Will and Ruth then settled in Damariscotta in 2000. After graduating from Patchogue High School in 1952, he attended SUNY Albany, earning a BS degree in business education in 1956, as well as an MS degree in guidance and counseling. Pre-doctoral coursework was continued at Colgate, New York, and Hofstra Universities. Will was an Army veteran, serving between 1957 and 1961. A gifted educator, he served in New York schools for 25 years as a business teacher, guidance counselor, and district administrator. His students and fellow faculty members recall him fondly as a man with a great passion for helping young people succeed. It was at The Wheatley School that he met Ruth Cashin, and the two were married in 1974. Their first home was in Huntington, NY where they became parents to Todd and Jordan. After leaving education in 1980, Will began a new career in sales, first as a school fundraiser, then selling products for a Connecticut firm, and then launching a long entrepreneurial career. He first established New England Components in 1985, followed by Advanced Power Systems, International in 1990. One of Will’s great joys was his chance to work closely with renowned race car driver John Fitch, after whom the Fitch Fuel Catalyst was named. It became the key product of Advanced Power Systems, and later Green Energy Products of Maine. Many midcoast homes, churches, schools and businesses have installed the catalyst to reduce their fuel consumption. Upon moving to Damariscotta in 2000, Will became the director of the Healthy Maine Partnership serving Lincoln County. He enjoyed the opportunity to work with the local community in promoting healthy lifestyles through anti-smoking, exercise, and nutritional programs. He loved working with groups as diverse as schools, churches, supermarkets, pharmacies, state legislators, and the governor. Popular community exercise and weight loss programs such as “Jog to Jamaica” and “Mambo to Mexico” were largely conceived, organized and run by Will. During his tenure, the Healthy Maine Partnership of Lincoln County received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Community Program in 2005, and the Heart Healthy Recognition Award at the Governor’s Cardiovascular Health Summit in 2006. Despite all of Will’s career achievements, he considered his greatest legacy his children, of whom he was so proud. Will never missed one of his children’s sporting events (even those halfway across the state), concerts, and theatrical performances. He was also his wife’s biggest fan, best friend, and support system. He particularly enjoyed hearing his family sing and play the piano at home. Will was an active member of the Damariscotta community, including the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary Club, and he particularly enjoyed being the town Santa Claus for two years. He was a member for twelve years of the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle, where he served on the Board of Trustees and was on the Stewardship Committee for the past two years. Will had a lifelong love of nature, wildlife, and the outdoors. From an early age he was an avid fisherman and hunter. Moving to Maine, where he’d vacationed for many years, was the fulfillment of a dream held since age 10. He later fulfilled a second dream by becoming a Master Maine Guide. Being a lover of history, one of Will’s greatest passions was serving as a regimental drummer in the Huntington Militia, 3rd New York Regiment of the Brigade of the American Revolution, and the Mattatuck Drum Band. A highlight of that experience was presenting his bicentennial baby, Todd, aged 13 days, to the regiment on the 200th anniversary of our country amidst a full musket salute, or feu de joie. He was also thrilled to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with his regiment, as well as at the reenactment of the British surrender at Yorktown, where his regiment paraded in review before President Reagan and President Mitterand. Will also loved cooking, tennis, reading, making furniture and boating. He was a great conversationalist and raconteur who could and would engage anyone he met. He loved making puns, jokes and witticisms, complete with accents. He was predeceased by his son, Doug Monsell, of Bellport, NY, earlier this year.
