YARMOUTH – Blaine Getchell Davis died peacefully at home on Oct. 23, 2022, at age 87. He died of complications from myelofibrosis.

Blaine was born on June 20, 1935, in South Portland to Barbara Phyllis Kennedy Davis and Ellsworth Milton Davis. He attended schools in Michigan and New York, but his Maine roots were maintained at a home on Myrtle Avenue near Willard Beach, where he roamed freely and found adventure with a pack of neighborhood boys every summer.

Blink, as he was fondly known, was a member of the 1951 state champion South Portland high school football team, and 1952 state champion baseball team, the year he was selected All-Telegram. His love of baseball followed him to the United States Marine Corps, where he played for Camp Lejeune. He later played for the Philadelphia Phillies development team in Kentville, Nova Scotia, and at the University of Maine Orono where he graduated in 1960.

A 33-year newspaper career, first in reporting and later in marketing, included the Bangor Daily News, Washington Star, Miami Herald, and Portland Press Herald & Maine Sunday Telegram.

In 1993 Blaine formed the Portland Golf Expo; for 11 years he served as executive director of the Maine Golf Hall of Fame; and in 2007 formed the Srixon Golf League with Cleveland Golf. Recently he was a contracted editor and writer.

Blaine’s early passion for competitive sports continued throughout his life. He played golf in Maine and Florida, and loved watching a Boston Red Sox or New England Patriots game in its entirety. He enthusiastically practiced baseball, basketball, and badminton with his children and grandchildren, and watched them play innumerable sports, often keeping score and stats from the sidelines.

Blaine’s friendliness and charming personality made it easy for him to start conversations and build friendships with those who crossed his path. He was incredibly generous with his time, dropping everything to help family or friends with a home project, a dump run, or an errand. Blaine was diligent about checking in with those he loved: setting up a coffee date, stopping by with something to deliver and greeting with a fist bump, or offering a gentle reminder to pick up your absentee ballot or get your car registered. A sharp mind until the end, he had a passion for reading daily newspapers as well as history and biographies, and it gave him pleasure to make just the right book recommendation to family and friends.

Blaine had a penchant for the quirky, taking joy from small things: an interesting find at the Yarmouth swap shop, a stuffed monkey he hung around a basement pipe to delight his grandchildren, Van Gogh posters hung in his shed among yard tools, collecting stickers to add to his monthly notes sent to grandchildren, clipping newspaper articles for just the right person, and a preference for a new route rather than driving the same way twice.

Blaine is survived by his wife of 47 years, Pamela Whitelock Davis; children Tim Flaherty, Karen Barakat, Gabriel Davis, and Gillian Davis; grandchildren Michelle Philbrook, Dan Flaherty, Jared Antill, Jillian Grimaldi, Chloe Davis, Will Davis, Finn Davis, and Rosa Davey; great-grandchildren Noah Antill, Lillian Philbrook, Leo Grimaldi, Caroline Philbrook, and Camden Flaherty. Blaine was predeceased by his siblings Joan Stillson, Barbara Davis, and Richard Davis, and his son Michael Davis.

Thanks to the skillful and compassionate care of the nurses and staff at CHANS Hospice, Blaine was able to be cared for at home by those who loved him so much.

A celebration of life will be planned for the spring. If you have a memory you would like to share about Blaine or would like to be a part of the celebration, please email gillianwdavis@gmail.com.

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