SCARBOROUGH – Late Wednesday afternoon, surrounded by his loving family, John “Jack” “Dad” “Grampie” “Padre” “Papa” Kachmar, 87, passed away peacefully after a brief illness at Maine Medical Center on Feb. 21, 2024. Jack was born to John J. and Muriel (Dickinson) Kachmar on Oct. 30, 1936.

Jack was born in Anson on the second story of a neighbor’s house on Spear Hill. He graduated from Madison High School where he lettered in three sports all four years. He was offered scholarships at UMaine and Colby to play football, but opted to attend Bentley College of Accounting on the advice of his Uncle George Chervenak telling him accounting had a much more promising future. He spent two years working for United Fruit Company in Panama before being drafted into the U.S. Army where he was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska.

He met the love of his life, Patricia Ann (Sabourin) Kachmar, “somewhere over Chicago”. This was just one of the many stories Jack would tell his kids and grandkids many times over the years. They married in 1962 in Concord, N.H. They raised their family of five children in a wonderful neighborhood in Scarborough where you could hear the large black bell ring to call the kids home for dinner.

Jack had an accomplished career at Liberty Mutual where he worked for 37 years. He insured thousands of families in Greater Portland. Jack had a very special gift to maintain loyalty to both his family and his career. An aspect he enjoyed in his work was the flexibility it provided. He made it a priority to be home for dinner every night. Many evenings, he would take a call from a client in need who had been in an accident, had a house fire or had a death in the family.

Jack was never much of one for technology. His frugality afforded him many things in life including the option to retire when he wanted to. The day of his retirement, his manager came to him and said “Jack, you haven’t answered a single email.” He responded with a click of a “delete all” button and off he went. Of course, this may not be exactly how it happened but was another of Jack’s many “stories”.

He was extremely involved in the community as well. He coached little league and he was a member of the Elks. Aside from raising his family, two of his proudest achievements included helping Pat further her education through two Masters degrees all while raising five spirited children together, and being an integral part of the fundraising team for St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Scarborough. There were many nights where he would get home from his sales job and start making calls for the new church.

Those who knew Jack knew he loved his family but they also knew he loved to travel. His favorite destinations included Hawaii, Florida, Japan, Santa Fe and Wyoming, where he was always ready to “Cowboy up”. Of note, that same aforementioned frugality afforded him the ability to bring all of his children and grandchildren to Hawaii in 2004. The trip of a lifetime.

This obituary would not be complete without mentioning Jack’s enviable, perfectly-manicured lawn, his love of flowers displayed beautifully around his yard and his love of music. His music collection was wide and varied, ranging from The Eagles to Patsy Cline to Don Ho. He enjoyed seeing Don Ho live and even met him several times in Hawaii.

Jack is survived by his five children, Lisa K. Hall (Jim), Lue Kachmar, John E. Kachmar (Ingrid), Nancy A. Kachmar (Joe) and James P. Kachmar (Amber); several grandchildren, Michael J. Kennedy-Kachmar, Vanessa A. Atherton (Ryan), John Spencer W. Kachmar, Sydney A. P. Kachmar, Gabriel M. Gifford, Lyle J. Kachmar and Alvin P. Kachmar. He is also survived by several cousins and nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia, of 35 years; his father, mother, stepmother; and two sisters.

The Kachmar family would like to thank Maine Veteran’s Home for caring for our dad.

Friends and family are invited to visiting hours on Sunday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Monday, March 4 at 10:15 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Rd., Scarborough. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Broadway, South Portland. To view Jack’s memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the

American Cancer Society, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy,

or Smile Train.

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