Theodore Park Atwood

Theodore Park Atwood died in Scarborough on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 after multiple and complicated illnesses. He had a virtually unstoppable passion to live life to its fullest, and demonstrated this incredible strength through countless battles that many care givers never believed he could survive. He proved them wrong time and time again. He was an incredibly strong man and endured some of the greatest health challenges one could face. He was born in Lisbon Falls, Maine to John D. and Marion Park Atwood. The family moved to Pine Point in Scarborough when he was in grade school. He graduated from Scarborough High School and immediately entered the U.S. Air Force. He proudly served our country as a tail-gunner on a B-29 Super-Fortress bomber during the Korean War. He was fascinated by aircraft and this ignited a passion for aviation and flying radio controlled planes - a hobby which helped fuel his will to live. He married Joanne Angis in October of 1960. He was employed by Central Maine Power Company for 39 years. He was a very active person. He was always involved in boating, camping, skiing and his children. He loved the outdoors and truly enjoyed warm sunny days. He loved to travel - especially to warm climates. Ted and his family bought a travel trailer and spent countless summers at Four Seasons Campground in Naples. The family was referred to as the sunshine family considering when it rained, they were not to be found... Boating became one of Ted's favorite past-times. The ocean and the sea were in his blood. He and his family spent many weekends in his variety of different watercraft over the years, typically found rafted-up with a great group of fun-loving friends at Diamond Island Cove. Ted had a great personality and could walk into a group of strangers and have everyone smiling and laughing within minutes. After retirement, he organized a great trip to Europe for sixteen days, and countless cruises and other tropical destination trips were regularly planned and enjoyed. With his love for warrn weather and dislike of the cold and snow, he eventually purchased a trailer home in Sarasota, FL where he and Joanne spent 10 winters. Unfortunately during one of those winters he became sick and was not diagnosed until his kidneys had completely failed. It clearly became evident that he could no longer stay in Florida, and he returned home for regular dialysis treatments. With limited mobility and strength loss, his new favorite spot became Bug Light Park on the South Portland waterfront. He would travel there daily with his little dog Cooper and spend hours watching the ships, sailboats and lobstermen cruise by. He was a loving husband for 53 years to Joanne, a devoted father to Jason Park Atwood and Jennifer K. Atwood, a tremendously caring Grandfather to Park Joseph Atwood and Jack William Goettel. He is survived by Mary J. Angis, his mother-in-law of Scarborough, his sister-in-law Dorothy Atwood of Boston and Orr's Island, Maine, brothers-in-law John Angis and his wife Rachel of Sanford, Peter Angis of Scarborough, and Kathryn Michel and her husband Mitch of W. Haven CT. He was pre-deceased by his parents and a brother, John D. Atwood Jr. The family would like to thank all his doctors and the nurses he thought so much of at Casco Bay Dialysis. Also, his best friend Sheldon Doherty who was always there for him, as well as his radio-controlled flying friends that he couldn't wait to be with every warm summer day. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, May 19, 2014 at 10:00am at the Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway. Burial will be private in Orr's Island.Online condolences may be expressed below.