PORTLAND – William J. Levandowski Sr., 94, of Eastern Promenade, passed away on Nov. 21, 2020, in Portland. He was born on Feb. 14, 1926, in Derry, N.H., the son of Paul and Sophia Levandowski.

Bill attended schools in Derry, N.H., and graduated from Pinkerton Academy, class of 1945. It was in the early years of his schooling that he met Patricia Senter of Derry, N.H. They later married on Aug. 22, 1948.

Bill enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1943. He was trained as a tail gunner for a B-24 bomber. During World War II, he was assigned to the 499th Bomb Group (B-24’s) based in southern Italy.

He flew 44 combat missions, he was awarded three air medals and several European ribbons. Upon leaving the military, Bill attended University of New Hampshire, graduating in 1950 with honors.

Bill was an outstanding athlete in football and basketball being inducted into the Football Team Hall of Fame.

Upon graduating from UNH, he secured a position as recreation director for the town of Penacook, N.H., as well as coaching high school basketball. In 1952, Bill was appointed athletic director, teacher and coach at his alma mater, Pinkerton Academy.

Upon leaving Pinkerton, he secured a position with Scott Paper Company as a retail salesperson. After several district manager shifts, he was appointed National Sales Training Director in Baltimore, Md.

Bill’s next assignment was in Kansas City where he was responsible for Scott’s Sales to the nation’s three largest supermarket chains, Safeway, Kroger and A&P. He received President McCabe Cup for outstanding sales achievement and leadership.

Following his 10-year career with Scott Paper Company, Bill and family ventured to Europe where he established himself as an international marketing consultant living in Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands for a combined period of 10 years.

During the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, Bill traveled with his family behind the so-called Iron Curtain, visiting Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary.

In 1964, Bill and family were guest at Cracow University in Cracow, Poland. Budapest was one of Bill’s favorite venues.

After 10 adventurous years in Europe, Bill returned to America to prepare his children for college.

In 1974, he purchased Castle Kitchens in Scarborough. He continued his consultant business working with Toms of Maine, Northern Trading Company and Cott Beverage Company. Also in 1974, Bill was appointed vice president of Southern Maine Home Builders Association.

He was a member of Trout Unlimited and was an avid fly fisherman, fishing streams and lakes in Maine, Northern New Hampshire, Canada and Florida.

Later years he enjoyed writing poetry and reciting many of his poems to his friends and new acquaintances he met on his daily walks on Portland’s Eastern Prom, a great joy.

Bill will always be remembered for his humor, generosity, being a family man and his liking for people. Bill will be greatly missed by family and friends.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Patricia (Senter) Levandowski.

He is survived by his sons, William Jr. of Scarborough, Peter of Portland; daughter, Ann Sawyer of Connecticut; three grandchildren, Abigail and Will Sawyer, William Levandowski III.

Services will be private.

Please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Bill’s online guest book.

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