SCARBOROUGH – F. Paul Frinsko, 81, of Gorham passed away on Dec. 14, 2020. He was born on March 21, 1939, the son of Michael Alexander and Janet Marguerite (Merry) Frinsko in Albany, N.Y. After graduating in 1956 from Cranston High School in Cranston, R.I., Paul attended Middlebury College, graduating in 1961. After college, Paul served his country in the U.S. Army from 1962-1965 as a captain in the military intelligence. Once leaving the military, he attended and graduated with honors from the University of Maine School Of Law in 1969. He married his wife Linda (Ryman) Frinsko of 57 years on August 17, 1963 and together they raised their family. Once Paul graduated from law school he began his long and successful career with Bernstein Shur as a municipal attorney where he became the protégé for Barney Shur. Paul soon developed his own distinguished career as a municipal lawyer developing a reputation as the leading municipal lawyer in Maine. He represented counties, towns, cities, school districts, water districts, and other public bodies from Kittery to Fort Kent. He served for many years as Labor Counsel to the University of Maine and acted as Special Counsel to the State of Maine in the long running Indian Land Claims litigation. In 2005 Paul’s contribution to the practice of municipal law in Maine was recognized by Bernstein Shur and the University of Maine School of Law with the creation of the Shur – Frinsko Award for Municipal Law and Local Governance, an award given each year to a student at the law school who has demonstrated academic excellence in municipal law. Paul was instrumental in creating and shaping public sector labor law in Maine through his advocacy and influence, and the cases in which he appeared, and usually prevailed, are still bedrock today. When Paul was not practicing law he was pursuing other passions, chief among them fishing all over the U.S. and Canada. He fished for tarpon, bonefish, and other saltwater fish in the Everglades and the Florida Keys, trophy trout in Georgia, and Atlantic Salmon in Maine and eastern Canada, although he was equally happy fishing in the pond on his and Linda’s property in Gorham. More importantly, he was loyal and dedicated to his friends, his colleagues, and his family. He loved to spend time with everyone sharing many stories about the beautiful life he lived and career he had. In 1976, Paul was elected corporator of Gorham Savings Bank, and then in 1998 as a director of Gorham Savings Bank and served until 2013. He also was elected to two terms on the Gorham Town Council. He was a member of the Maine Bar Association, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council under Commissioner Maynard Marsh, and Downeast Salmon Federation. He is survived by his wife, Linda of Gorham; son Stephen, his wife Alison and granddaughter Stephanie Frinsko of Idaho; a daughter Meredith Frinsko and her husband Ryan Boyle of Colorado; sister-in-law Lois Lewis of California; and his nieces, Jennifer Mischel of Virginia and Kathleen Lewis of California.Paul was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, Lee M. Frinsko. You may offer your condolences or share your many memories of Paul at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com Due to the COVID pandemic a memorial service and burial at the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta will take place at a later date. Donations may be made in Paul’s memory toAlzheimer’s Association of Maine,383 US Route One #2C,Scarborough, ME 04074 orDowneast Salmon Federation,187 Main St.,Columbia Falls, ME 04623.

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