CASCO – David Preston Morton, 68, of Casco passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family camped out on the living room floor on June 25, 2023, after a hard-fought battle with a rare and aggressive type of kidney cancer.

Born 1955 in Portland to George P and Marion (Pike) Morton. Initially living in White Rock, his family then moved to Windham where he grew up and attended schools. He earned a degree in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham. After interning during college with Eben Marsh in Gorham, Dave took charge helping to mold the Town of Casco, taking the role of the first full-time town manager ever at the incredibly young age of 22. Wisely his age wasn’t broadcast to the town at the time. Although Dave considered himself first and foremost an outdoorsman with a passion for hunting and fishing, he dedicated his entire career spanning 41 years to serving the Town of Casco. His easy going, even-keeled, honest, and consistently fair leadership solidified his position with the town and its people allowing him to earn the record for being the longest tenured manager in one town in the state of Maine. He was deeply respected beyond the town of Casco as he became a leader amongst his peers across the state. He was actively involved in Eco Maine and Regional Waste Systems, including a groundbreaking trip to Europe in the early eighties studying advanced recycling facilities.

He married his high school sweetheart, Donna Sylvester, after being in the same class together every year since kindergarten. They started dating their senior year when she was a cheerleader, and he was a basketball player. They were the king and queen at the prom, and each received the Outstanding Leadership Award at graduation together. Dave was a natural leader even in high school where he was elected class president. He was proud to be one of the starting five members of the WHS Triple C Championship Basketball Team.

After becoming the town manager in 1978, he and Donna moved to Casco, eventually settling on Thomas Pond to start a family. His kids, Ben, Jen, and his AFS daughter Ayako from Japan, were his pride and joy. While raising his kids in Casco, he deeply rooted himself in other aspects of the town including running the Bingo Tent at Casco Days, coaching various sports, and being a Scoutmaster amongst many other things. Dave’s vast knowledge of the history of the town through personal and professional experience would be impossible to replicate.

Dave’s lifelong passion for the outdoors began at an early age with hunting and fishing trips with his father, grandfather, and uncles as well as other mentors. Dave’s father was a boy scout and became his boy scout leader, passing on his knowledge and guiding Dave to become an Eagle Scout. He then became a scout leader to his son, Ben, helping him also to achieve Eagle Scout Rank. Dave’s early experiences lead to a lifelong pursuit to all outdoor activities including countless family camping trips, canoe trips, backpacking and hiking trips, and more hunting and fishing trips than one could imagine. His kids always liked to joke that the only thing more vast than the Maine Gazetteer was Dave’s mental map of Maine’s back roads. “You could get there from here” if Dave was with you. He especially enjoyed hunting and fishing in very remote places with a special proclivity for fly fishing trips for salmon in Northern Quebec, using one of the thousands of flies he expertly tied himself.

He was fortunate to have two camps. The first being a hunting camp in Oquossoc, rich with history which he shared with his friends, Mark, Mike, and Dale. The second, was his family camp on Spring Lake, which was his favorite place in the world. It was his place to hunt, fish and be with friends and family. The stories he could tell would fill a book.

He is predeceased by his parents, George and Marion Morton. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Donna; his son Benjamin (Kate) of Raymond and his daughter, Jennifer (Daniel Burnell) of Casco; his AFS daughter of Japan, Ayako Sheppard (Craig), sister, Becky Blake (Roger) of Otisfield, and brother, Russel (Leslie) of Casco, and many nieces and nephews, and his life-long friends, Mike Doucette, and Mark Gardner; as well as many dear friends and neighbors.

A service will be held at Crooked River Elementary School at 1437 Poland Spring Road, Casco, ME 04015 on Friday, June 30, 2023, at 10 a.m. (Doors open at 9:15).

Arrangements are in the care of the Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Road in Casco. http://www.hallfuneralhome.net.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the:

Casco Public Library 5 Leach Hill Rd. Casco, ME, 04015 or Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen P.O. Box 244, Rangeley ME. 04970.

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