Dr. John D. Kilgallen

Dr. John David Kilgallen of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2025 at the age of 92. A cherished husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, colleague, and friend, he lived at home until the final days of his life when he announced, with characteristic matter-of-factness and grace, that he was “slipping away”. A day later he died peacefully, encircled by his loving family.

John Kilgallen was born August 26, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of John Joseph Kilgallen, a doctor, and Margaret Hillen, a nurse. He was predeceased by his brothers, Robert and Kevin, and his sister Elaine.

A born storyteller, John never tired of sharing memories of his boyhood: playing stickball with his friends and siblings on Brooklyn streets, going to Dodgers games with his Uncle Bernie to see Jackie Robinson slug a few home runs, enjoying vanilla malts and perogies, going to boxing matches at Madison Square Garden to see Joe Louis defend his heavyweight title, accompanying his father on his rounds as the head physician for the New York Racing Association, fishing and digging for clams in Peconic Bay, and spending summers at Lake George.

After attending PS 152 Grammar School and St. Francis Prep High School, John Kilgallen earned his BS from Manhattan College and his MS in Marine Biology from the University of Miami before entering medical school at University College Cork (Ireland), where he earned a degree as Doctor of Medicine and Apothecary. While in Ireland, he met a young nurse, Maura Teresa O’Flynn, on a blind date for a medical school ball at University College Galway, having first seen her in one of her brother’s wedding photographs where she appeared as a bridesmaid in a gold dress. It was love at first sight that would last a lifetime. John and Maura married in London in 1965; he arranged for someone to sing “Ave Maria” to his bride after they exchanged vows. One of his greatest joys was sharing his life with his wife and five children. He enjoyed many trips to Ireland spending time with family and dear friends.

Following a medical residency and fellowship in Arizona and Tennessee, Dr. Kilgallen accepted a position at Mercy Hospital, Portland, Maine, in 1970, where for many years he was Chief of Radiology and a key contributor in setting up the breast health center. He was a beloved mentor to generations of radiologists and greatly enjoyed his role teaching in the Radiological Technology program. Mercy hospital was his second family; he cherished his relationships with colleagues and patients.

He “retired” in 1998, only to return to practice a few years later to “help out” at Mercy Hospital and also worked at Bath Iron Works as a consulting radiologist before finally “retiring again” at the age of 89, thus bookending his career around ships and sailors. (Prior to medical school he attended the Fleet Sonar School at the Naval Station in Key West Florida before becoming a Naval officer on the USS Sheldrake, a minesweeper).

To say that John Kilgallen loved life and lived it fully would be an understatement. To him, there was mindful magic to be found in every moment and encounter. Even in his 90s, he never lost his sense of awe and wonder, whether seeing planes descend from the night sky to land at Portland Jetport or driving across the Million Dollar Bridge that connected Portland to South Portland. He never took so-called “ordinary” things or people for granted. To John Kilgallen, everything and everyone was extraordinary. When it was time for the “slow fade”, he spoke with acceptance of his imminent passing, comforting his loved ones and preparing them for the next stage of his journey even as they comforted him.

He is survived by Maura 0’Flynn Kilgallen, his wife of 60 years, and their five children: Christina Emer Kilgallen and partner Roger Conover (Cape Elizabeth and Freeport); Deirdre Mairead Kilgallen and husband Keith Jordan (Cape Elizabeth); Sean Micheal Kilgallen (Cape Elizabeth); Siobhain Ita Kilgallen and husband Kipton Freer (Colorado Springs, Colorado); Cormac Fergus Kilgallen and wife Rabiatu Abdullah (Oakland, California); grandchildren Amanda Morgan Cushen, John Edward Williams, Jacob Liam Williams, Declan Jamal Kilgallen, Donovan Omar Kilgallen; and great-grandchild Hayes Madden Williams as well as extended family members and dear friends throughout the world.

John Kilgallen will always be remembered by his children for his good nature, his warmth, and his wry sense of humor, not to mention his ageless twinkle, his love of music from Mozart to Dave Brubeck to Stevie Nicks, and his signature, vintage Brooklynese: “right on kid”; “this is my kind of joint”; “that hit the spot”, etc. He had an insatiable thirst for experience and a sweet spot for life that was all-consuming. For him, there was nothing in life that did not hit the spot. He loved Ireland and he loved Maine, but his enthusiasms were not contained by geography. He was at home with himself and knew how to find magic in the world as it was.

Maura and their children extend their deepest gratitude to the care teams who looked after John at Mercy Hospital as well as to all of his friends and family who shared their love and support during his final days.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, November 22nd at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 8 Two Lights Road, Cape Elizabeth. In memory of John, donations can be made to Catholic Charities of Maine, c/o Development Center P.O. Box 1660, Portland, Maine 04104.