John Allan Arness, M.D.

TENANTS HARBOR/MONHEGAN – John Allan Arness, M.D. of Tenants Harbor and Monhegan, passed peacefully at home with his family by his side at the age of 89.

John was born on Sept. 13, 1931 in Peterburg, Va., one of four children of Allan S. Arness and Katherine Thorne Arness. John spent his boyhood in Virginia, Maryland and Missouri. In 1953 he graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He pursued medical studies at GW University and graduated from there in 1957. While in Washington D.C he met the love of his life Constance A. Hebert of Portland and they were married in 1957.

Dr. Arness enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from 1956 to 1965 at the U.S. Naval Hospital, Chelsea, Mass., where he rose to Chief of Neurology and Psychiatry. In 1965 Dr. Arness and his growing family moved to southern Maine where he practiced psychiatry, and in 1972 to Farmington where they lived until 1999. In Farmington, he had a private practice, worked for Tri-County Mental Health Services and later for the State of Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services, at Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) as Clinical Director. He retired from the state in 1995, but continued to work in the field until 2003. John was an accomplished yet humble physician who was dedicated to his patients, many who had served in WW II or in Vietnam. John helped the lives of many individuals.

In 2003, John and his wife retired to their home on Monhegan Island and spent many wonderful summers there. They often wintered in Florida. Since 2016, they have lived in Tenants Harbor, Maine year-round.

John will be remembered by his family and a wonderful person and dedicated family man. He was an avid reader of literature and history. As a Maine resident for 55 years he enjoyed sailing, hiking and had hobbies of coin and stamp collecting.

John is survived by his wife Constance Hebert Arness of Tenants Harbor; his daughters Carol A. Arness of Tenants Harbor, Susan Arness of Waterloo, Ontario, and Constance Lea Arness of Virginia. He is also survived by his sisters Ruth Anderson of London Ontario, Kate Wolfe of British Columbia and his brother Frank F. Arness of Washington, N.C. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Andre, Allan, Paul and Susan of Ontario and Naomi of Madison, Wis.; many nieces, nephews and friends.

The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to the many wonderful providers at Maine Health Care at Home and Hospice Services, as well as physicians and nurse practitioners at Maine Cardiology, Pen Bay Neurology and Pen Bay Internal Medicine for their exceptional care.

A graveside service will be held for John on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fayette Mills Cemetery, Tom Surret Road, Fayette, Maine. Social distancing and mask requirements will be observed.

Hall’s of Thomaston has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences visit hallfuneralhomes.com


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