STANDISH – Stephen Aylward, a political science professor at St. Joseph’s College, is being remembered this week by friends, family and college staff for his passion both in and out of the classroom.

Aylward, of Portland, was killed in a two-car collision on Route 302 Oct. 6 while driving back home to Portland after a day of teaching at the Standish college. He was 57.

The accident shut down Route 302 near the intersection of Albion Road for several hours during the afternoon commute. Initial reports from Windham police suggest Aylward had crossed the median in his 1997 Saturn before he collided head-on with a Chevrolet pickup driven by Todd Taylor of Standish. Taylor was treated and released from Maine Medical Center. Aylward was declared dead at the scene.

Aylward, according to the college’s dean, Randall Krieg, was hired in September 2008. He “was the backbone of the political science department” and taught history courses in addition to advising the Political Science Club.

“He was very popular with students, he vitalized the Political Science Club, and was known for his positive attitude,” Krieg said. The college, he said, was making counselors available to grieving staff and students and was holding a formal memorial service as well.

In April 2010, Aylward established a Lakes Region chapter of the World Affairs Council, which is popular in cities such as Dallas and San Francisco. His aim was to engage students, staff and the public in current events and topics. He organized speakers, video presentations and a question-and-answer period followed by all-you-can-eat pizza and small group discussion. Fairly new to the Lakes Region area, having been at St. Joseph’s for two years prior to organizing the club, Aylward appreciated the area’s identity and wanted to reach out to its residents.

“Rather than limit it to St. Joseph’s College students and staff, I wanted to open it to the community at large,” Aylward said at the time. “And there’s a great feeling of regional identity as well as great pride here in the Lakes Region.”

Aylward got the idea of creating a Lakes Region-based council from being stationed in the U.S. Army in Fort Collins, Col. and attending a local chapter there. As a former officer who specialized in foreign relations, Aylward, who retired after 20 years of service as a lieutenant colonel, enjoyed the group’s global focus.

“The World Affairs Council strives to offer an intellectual forum for discussion of great ideas and historical and current events,” Aylward said. “It embodies the notion of thinking globally and acting locally.”

The group held two forums last year but failed to meet this year since Aylward spent much of this spring and summer undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He had just returned to teaching in late August.

According to fellow professor and friend, assistant professor of history Dr. Jonathan Malmude, Aylward was the ideal professor.

“It was clear to me that Steve loved teaching, that he loved scholarship, and that he loved his native greater Portland,” he said. “Beyond this, his committed interest in theoretical and practical approaches to solving the never-ending problem of achieving a good life for all made him perfect for our college and for relating his political science discipline to an entire cluster of allied and adjacent fields, including history, business, sociology, theology, classical studies, and the professions.”

Malmude also observed Aylward to be a man of faith. A devout Episcopalian, Aylward would weave a faith-based optimism of world events into his lectures at the Catholic college.

“His theoretical interests in political science were very wide-ranging,” Malmude said. “These interests of Steve’s were inspiring to students and colleagues alike. We all could sense how, coming from Steve, they were grounded in something more sure and more firm than optimism; they were based on a faith that was always there and which he, to my knowledge, seldom felt the need to comment on. He certainly did not wear his faith on his sleeve, yet I always felt the effect of his faith.”

According to his obituary, Aylward was the oldest of two children and is survived by his father, Richard Aylward, and sister, Deborah Aylward, both of Portland. He married Helen (Joyce) Aylward in 1986. They have three children, Stephanie Shepherd and Justin Dyer of Virginia, and Joshua Dyer of Georgia. They also have seven grandchildren, Troy, Kevin, Hailey, Dylan, Carver, Shelby and Brielle. Visiting hours were held Wednesday in Portland.

Dr. Stephen Aylward