Theodore Saunders Chadbourne

Theodore Saunders “Ted” Chadbourne of Cumberland, Maine, 90, died peacefully on the 16th of March 2024, surrounded by many loved ones at The Grande in South Portland. The family is grateful to the many people who cared for and brought joy to him in later years, both there and at OceanView at Falmouth. A celebration of life will be held at West Parish Congregational Church, Bethel, 2:00 p.m., Sunday the 28th of April, followed by a reception. A few of the things we learned from Ted: Talk to strangers. Smile. Challenge yourself. Drop everything to help someone in need. Spend time in nature. Pick up trash. Don’t throw away anything that might be of use. Blaze trails. Keep learning. Question authority. Sometimes it’s okay to stay up all night, wear your bathrobe all day, and eat cold breakfast cereal for dinner. Ted was born in Lewiston, Maine, on the 29th of April 1933, the eldest child of Philip Henry and Mary Mason (Saunders) Chadbourne. They lived a short walk from Phil’s parents in Auburn until 1938, when Bethel became Ted’s hometown. He lived in Bethel with first wife Joan Warrington and second wife Georgia “Kay” Corrin. Ted and third wife Earlene “Kitty” Ahlquist lived first in North Saco and then in Cumberland for most of their thirty years of marriage, until he lost her to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Had Ted written his own obituary, his children would have found several copies in their email and among the papers covering every available surface of his living space. Instead he left memories of tales told, notes on envelope backs and in book margins, lengthy voicemails, and many milestones recorded on LinkedIn and his Facebook page. Look there for details about his achievements at Gould Academy, Dartmouth College, Harvard Business School, as Vice President and General Manager of the Lumber Division at P.H. Chadbourne & Co. in Bethel, and his service in the Army and on many boards of directors. Among his accomplishments: In high school, Ted was Senior Class President and Maine State track champion in the ½ mile. He once dove into a pond and saved a friend’s drowning son. He owned one of the first Corvette Stingrays, which he gave up upon becoming a father. As foreman at Westinghouse Electric Co, he supervised assembly of the world's first all-glass color television picture tubes. He was nominated by Westinghouse for a select position at the first U.S. commercial nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island, a position which might have changed the trajectory of his life. In 1967, he researched and installed the first heat pump in Maine, in his all-electric home on Paradise Hill, and for doing so was presented with a plaque from Central Maine Power Company. He had a longstanding interest in new technologies, conservation, and alternative energy sources. He was one of the first to have a computer, a car phone, a cell phone…. If self-driving cars had been truly road-ready sooner, he would have loved the ability to maintain the independence of driving himself longer. He was co-founder and president of the Chadbourne Family Association, devoting many years to furthering the genealogical research of his uncle Fred Babson Chadbourne, and was joined in that work by Kitty and two daughters. Among the places dear to Ted were Crescent Lake in Raymond, where he joined generations of Saunders relatives each summer, and the Chadbourne family camp on Keoka Lake in Waterford. Ted took part in Outward Bound and loved to spend time outdoors. He strongly encouraged his children to join in group swims across Keoka Lake, hikes in the White Mountains with stays in AMC huts, sailing, skiing, snowshoeing, etc., often met with much complaining beforehand and even more appreciation afterwards. Memorable travel included trips to Europe and Bermuda, genealogical research in England with daughter Dori, and a cross-country road trip, seven people in an RV, visiting many national parks and other landmarks, and breakfasting only on Frosted Flakes for weeks after touring the Kellogg’s factory. Ted often asked to join strangers at their tables in restaurants, at home or abroad. He took a keen interest in learning what he could from anyone with whom he happened to cross paths: wait staff, cashiers, fellow passengers or patrons at any public space.… Several staff members at The Grande made a point of visiting him at the end. He had likely expressed genuine interest in their lives in ways most residents would not. He was once hours late to a meeting because he saw canoers in trouble and had to stop to help. Ted loved to debate and play the devil’s advocate. He wanted his epitaph to read, “Here lies a mischievous imp.” He referred to himself as an Independent, but speaking with him would leave Democrats convinced he was a Republican and Republicans convinced he was a Democrat. Surviving are Ted’s fiancée and college sweetheart Barbara (Wormser) Vercesi of Manhattan NY; four daughters: Deborah Chadbourne [David Rasmussen] of Freeman Twp. ME, Tania Chadbourne Hopkins [Susan Tubbs] of Portland ME, Dori Chadbourne [Russell Harvey] of Cumberland ME, and Teri Chadbourne of Belmont MA; three stepsons: Todd [Kathy] Posey of Belmont MA, Guy [Julie] Cote of Land O’ Lakes FL, and Adam [Paulina] Cote of Sanford ME; grandchildren: William and Francois Gouin, Cara Hopkins [Connor Long], Garrett Hopkins, Savanna Harvey [Joseph “JR” Policano]; Joyce Posey; and Ana, Audrey, Mia, Adam Jr, & Michael Cote; great grandchild Benjamin Long; former wives Joan Chadbourne and Kay [Jim] Rector; siblings: Caroline O’Brien, Robert [Nancy] Chadbourne, Thomas Chadbourne and “out-law” Nancy Hohmann; many nieces & nephews, and cat Finn. Ted was predeceased by his parents, love-of-his-life Kitty, sister Phyllis Heywood, infant brother William, brothers-in-law Charles Heywood, Robert O’Brien, Denis Corrin, and Philip Ahlquist, two nephews, and many cherished dogs & cats. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to any of the following: Alzheimer's Association, The ALS Association, Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation, Bethel Historical Society, Waterford Historical Society, Old Berwick Historical Society, a charity of your choice, or planting a tree in his honor. Since he won't be around to let you know, please check the schedule of your local PBS station to make sure you don’t miss the next Ken Burns documentary or program of ‘60s folk music.

Theodore Saunders Chadbourne

April 29, 1933 - March 16, 2024