Kurt Allan Rosell, age 66, “middle child” and son of the late Harry Olaf and Ernestine (Knight) Rosell was a Maine boy… born in Biddeford and raised in Saco. His strong work ethic began when he was a young boy, working many long hours at the arcades with his siblings at the Pier at Old Orchard Beach until Mother Nature claimed the pier in a September storm. In his free time, he loved the thrill of catching the perfect wave on his surf board in the middle of the winter.
He was a 1970 graduate of Thornton Academy and enrolled in the Animal Medical Technology course at the University of Maine/Orono with the hope of becoming a veterinarian. For a variety of reasons, when life seems to trip you while you are standing still (financial consideration and worries over being #315 in the draft for the Vietnam War, to name a few), he graduated with an Associate Degree and switched gears from having a stellar reputation as a straight A microbiology and chemistry student, to working with his hands.
Kurt saw an opportunity in the communication field, and with the guidance of paternal mentors, heeded their advice and worked his way up, beginning as a line man for Community Telephone in Winthrop. He later was employed by Norm Taylor in Brewer, Northstar Communications, Central Maine Communications and retired in December 2017 as a Sales Engineer and Project Manager for Oxford Networks, Lewiston with others, and also as they personally consider their own mortality and personal family choices
Kurt was not a “joiner” of organizations, but rather, was engaged in living humbly, honestly and within his personal means. He took seriously the role of being a parent and serving his son and all children as a role model for life’s simplest and yet seemingly most difficult task, that of following “The Golden Rule”. He expected no more of others than he did of himself. And he would consider it an honor, if those who survive him might find something positive that you choose to commit yourself to doing to make this world a kinder, gentler place, and most especially, to make the difference in the life of a child. If you feel comfortable, his family would appreciate reading your personal vows. Their grief journey will involve compiling these self proclaimed “gifts” as tribute to his life, well-lived.
God blessed him with the grace of a quick wit and sense of humor.
He and his wife, Rhonda Ann Wiles-Rosell of Belgrade Lakes, formerly of Farmington, felt they were blessed with an imperfect marriage, and their joy was revealed in the result of diligence that is required to truly celebrate the differences, similarities and the uniqueness of being in a loving relationship with a best friend. They will always be the proud parents of a son, Adam Emery Wiles-Rosell of Portland. Kurt is survived by an older brother, Karl Rosell and his partner Patricia Rodrigue Cunningham of Manchester and a sister, Elin Rosell-Raff and her partner, J. Terry Christopher of Wappingers Falls, New York; his mother-in-law, Roma Lou Kent Wiles of Farmington; brother-in-law, Kent Wiles and his wife, Suzie Boyce Wiles of Farmington; sister-in-law, Susan Harris Rosell of Winthrop, several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and friends whom he thought of as family (you know who you are). He was predeceased by his folks, an older brother Eric Rosell; his father-in-law, Gerry Wiles, and his blue tick hound, Daisey and springer spaniel, Luke.
To view and more complete life history, his family invites you to visit his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com where you might perhaps share your own personal thoughts and remembrances.
Family and friends are invited to call at the Wiles Remembrance Center 137 Farmington Falls Rd., (Routes 2 and 27) Farmington, Friday March 23 from 4 to 8 p.m. A Funeral service, honoring Kurt’s life and lifetime, will be held Saturday morning at 11 a.m. from the Center with Hospice Chaplain Rev. Bill Meyer officiating. A comfort reception will follow at Calzolaio in Wilton. In keeping with the gifts of courage from children that Kurt was able to bear witness to when seeking cancer treatment, and to support the journey of Maine families, remembrance gifts may be given in his memory to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital 22 Bramhall St. Portland, Me. 04102.
Spring graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 11 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery, Rangeley.
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