William Lewis Densmore Sr.

Portland – William Lewis Densmore Sr., 95, passed away on September 10, 2026, in Portland with family at his side. Bill was born on March 27, 1931, in Portland, son of the late Sheldon Densmore and Evelyn Connolly Smith.

Although Bill was born in Portland, Maine, the town he loved so dear, Bill spent his grammar school years living in South Boston. It was there that he attended Saint Brigid Church and his strong faith was ignited. He attended public school there where he developed his love of learning, passion for music and the goal to become a teacher. He cheered for his local Boston sports teams as if each game were a life or death competition.

He moved from Boston to live with his Aunt Hazel and Uncle George for a time in North Conway, then he returned to Portland, where he was raised by his grandmother, Annie B. Connolly Smith in Libbytown. There he met his dearest lifelong friend, Tommy Nee, a man with the kindest soul and a wicked sense of humor.

After graduating from Portland High School, Bill began working on the railroad as a brakeman, a job which he held for 32 years, only pausing to enlist in the US Marine Corps. He served during the Korean War. He later sustained a lung injury during nuclear bomb testing in the Nevada desert.

Once his service ended, he attended Gorham Teachers College on the GI Bill. There he met Evelyn McMerriman, who became his beloved wife for the next 56 years. Bill continued to work on the railroad to support his growing family, simultaneously earning a master’s degree in guidance counseling from the University of Maine at Orono.

Bill was an avid reader and always had his atlas at the ready. He believed that education was the great equalizer and that history was the most dynamic of subjects. He taught at North School, Jack Junior High, and finally retired from Portland High, where he ended a 30-year teaching career.

Bill was a quietly generous man. He was also fun-loving. He enjoyed playing his harmonica, tin whistle, singing and dancing at family gatherings with his grandchildren. He was also very intense when it came to sports. He played on athletic teams in college, in the service, and in an adult softball league. He drove to the YMCA in Freeport to work out well into his 93rd year.

He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed spending time at his Naples camp on Trickey Pond. Fishing on the lake in his boat or ice shack with those he loved gave him great pleasure. Bill was a member of the Maine Education Association, United Transportation Union, Ancient Order of the Hibernians, Irish American Club, Rod and Gun Club, and the Elks Lodge. He was a communicant of Saint Pius X Church.

He was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn (McMerriman) Densmore; son, Michael Patrick Densmore; brothers, Walter Francis and Richard Warren Densmore. He is survived by his children, William Jr. and Patricia Densmore, Kathleen and her husband Cesar Britos, Maureen Densmore-Folsom, and Timothy and his wife Melanie Densmore; grandchildren, Caitlin, Fiona, Elena, Maura, John, Liam, Siobhan, Meredith, Elizabeth, Sean, and Sarah; great-grandchildren, Ava, Colin, and Cara Crowther.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Bill’s healthcare team; in particular, Dr. Timothy Baum, Dr. Jason Yahwak and Dr. Martin Britos . We would also like to acknowledge the love and support from the entire Park Danforth Community, where Bill lived in independent living for the past 10 years. Thank you to Jeremiah St. Clair for his friendship.

Visiting Hours will be held from 5pm – 7pm on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Homes of South Portland, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Ave. Portland; a graveside service with military honors will follow at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

To view Bill’s memorial page, or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bill’s memory to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284; or, Honor Flight Maine, P.O. Box 469, Augusta, ME 04332.