SCARBOROUGH – Dr. Joseph Frederick Stocks of Scarborough and formerly of Cape Elizabeth and Punta Gorda, Fla., died peacefully at the Maine Veterans Home on Nov. 6, 2019. He was 90. Joe, as he was known to his friends and colleagues, was born Sept. 7, 1929 in Pittsfield N.H., to Samuel F. Stocks and Hazel (Smith) Stocks. His father, Sam, worked as a floor foreman in various shoe and cotton mills in New Hampshire and Maine. Hazel was a schoolteacher until Joe was born after which, she devoted her life to Joe’s upbringing and instilled a great love of music, particularly the piano, which he started playing at the age of nine and continued to play until this year. Joe graduated from Tufts University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, N.Y. Two days after graduation he married Betty L. Little of Portland. Joe and Betty were introduced by mutual friends of their parents and their wonderful marriage lasted 64 years, until his death. Following their wedding, Joe interned at the Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, N.Y. He then served two years in the U.S. Air Force at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass. as a Captain in the base hospital where he delivered the babies of families on the air base and met several life-long friends. In 1960, after completing his residency in medicine at the Maine Medical Center in Portland (MMC) and a pediatric residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Joe and Betty moved to Waterville where Joe opened a pediatric practice, manned clinics at the Thayer Hospital and oversaw medical care at summer camps. But with a growing family including two boys and two girls, as well as missing the teaching hospital environment, in 1966 Joe was accepted in a pathology residency at MMC. He was was later hired as a staff pathologist and then became Chief of the Department of Pathology from 1973 to 1977, Medical Director of the School of Medical Technology – MMC from 1975 to 1985, Medical Director of Northeast Regional Red Cross Blood Program, Portland Maine 1974 to 1991. He also became a clinical associate of pathology at both University of Vermont College of Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine. While working at the MMC, Joe, Betty and their family lived in Cape Elizabeth. Early on, Joe learned how to sail, a pastime he was truly passionate about, spending many, many days every year on the ocean in Casco Bay and other parts of Maine. He loved camping and canoeing and took his family on many camping trips to places like Blue Hill and Baxter State Park. Joe also loved to ski and early on taught Betty and all four children how to ski. Skiing became part of his family and a camp was built at Mt. Abram where many, wonderful days over many years were spent on the slopes with his family and friends. Throughout his life Joe practiced and loved playing the piano every day. Often his children would wake in the morning to him practicing Bach, Brahms and Beethoven before going to work. He taught several grandchildren to play and love the piano, played for friends, family, Christmas parties, in several trios and even soloed with the Portland Community Orchestra. Upon retirement in 1995, Joe and Betty moved to Punta Gorda, Fla. where Joe enjoyed friends, boating and golfing, including becoming the president of Twin Isles Country Club and a flotilla staff officer in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. During this time Joe and Betty made trips to California, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Switzerland to visit children and grandchildren. Throughout his life, Joe had a yearning to continue to learn and to teach. Whether teaching his kids how to ski, sail, camp and swim or the many lab technologists and medical interns he taught and mentored during his nearly 30 years at the MMC, he was very dedicated and truly loved by his students. Joe had a great sense of humor and a large, beaming smile when his funny bone was tickled – something his family and friends will greatly miss. Joe was predeceased by his parents; an infant sister; and Jake, his beloved Airedale.He is survived by his wife, Betty L. Stocks; son, Peter and his wife, Lynda Richards-Stocks of South Portland, son, David and his wife, Gloria Godinez of Madrid, Spain, daughter, Nancy and her partner, Chuck Freeman of Sacramento, Calif., and daughter, Amy Stocks of Mexico; grandchildren, Cristina Stocks, Elizabeth Stocks and Michael Stocks (all of Madrid, Spain), Isabel Stocks and Sam Stocks of South Portland. A memorial service will be held in late spring 2020. Arrangements entrusted to Hobbs Funeral Home, South Portland. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hobbsfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers donations may be made toTufts University.

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