PORTLAND – John P. Fenton, 72, of Portland passed away Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 after a years-long battle with Multi-System Atrophy. John was born in Portland to Irene Kelly and Joseph C. Fenton, growing up on Dirigo Street and attended Portland schools graduating from Deering High School.

John met his wife Linda (Gould) at Deering and they celebrated 50 years of marriage this September.

John graduated from Denver University, earning his master’s in Social Work. He worked at a variety of social service agencies throughout his career, retiring from Spurwink Services as the Associate Clinical Director in 2016. He was well-known for his patient approach with the clients and his mentorship of the staff. John was able to implement better practices in each program under his guiding hand.

John was a compassionate and loving husband, father and friend. He was devoted to his wife, Linda and his sons, Jonathan and Cole. John and Linda were a great couple and showed how marriage can be supportive and fun. He was extremely proud of his sons from the start talking about all their accomplishments to any listener. He was an attentive and involved father. John was the pillar of support and voice of reason for his wife and sons. He leaves a void that cannot be filled by one person alone.

He was a teacher of handyman skills and a woodworker extraordinaire. His accomplishments can be seen all over his home from built-in shelving to crown molding and back decks. He was a lifelong fisherman. John enjoyed his trips to the family camp on Love Lake where his brother Mark bought a pontoon boat last year so John could still get out on the lake in his wheelchair.

Closer to home, John was a member of the Outer Spectacle Island Club with his lifelong and steadfast friend, Tom Conger. Together with their friends they enjoyed countless fishing trips on Sebago Lake through the years.

Even though John was burdened by illness from the start of his retirement, he would not let it define him. He worked to maintain his strength attending World Gym until the start of the pandemic. His flourishing vegetable garden was something he took pride in until the end. John and Linda, together with their friends, took trips during his short retirement until John’s confinement to a wheelchair kept him in Portland. He cherished their trips to India, Columbia, Mexico and Palm Springs, Calif.

The family would like to extend their warmest thanks and praise to Missy and Ferenc of Friends In-Home Care of Yarmouth. Together they provided compassionate, comforting and loving care for John during his illness. Additionally, countless thanks are due to brother-in-law, Eric Anderson and sister-in-law, Mary Jayne Gould whose care allowed John to stay at home until his passing.

John was predeceased by his parents; sister, Patricia and brothers Joseph and Gregory.

He is remembered and survived by his wife, Linda A. Fenton; sons Jonathan C. and Nicolas R. (Cole) of Portland; brothers Michael (Susan) of Gorham and Mark (Kimberly) of Gray; and an unnamed number of loving and supportive family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a date to be determined for January, 2022.

In lieu of flowers,

the family requests that donations be made in his memory to:

Spurwink Services
901 Washington Ave., Suite 100,
Portland, ME 04103 or:

Friends In-Home Care

765 U.S. Route 1

Yarmouth, ME 04096

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