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Gerard Francis Dorian
Date of Death: February 28, 2020
Date of Birth: November 18, 1926
Biography:
Bath- Meet Gerard Francis Dorian, who was born on November 18, 1926 in Rumford, Maine, the son of Joshua and Olive (Doucette) Dorion. After his mother’s passing, in 1944, Gerard, who suffered from tuberculosis, entered the Hebron Sanitorium, where he received treatment into the early 1950’s, and recovered from TB.
Gerard passed away on February 28, 2020, at the Hawthorne House Nursing Home, in Freeport with his family by his side.
When Gerard left the Sanitorium, he embarked on a prodigious academic career beginning at the University of Maine in Farmington. Later he graduated from the University of Maine in Orono. From there he received his master’s degree from Yale University. He also studied at The Sorbonne in Paris, France and Oxford University in England. He traveled all over Europe including England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain and France. and said that Paris, France was his favorite city.
Gerard taught English at Horace Greely High School in Chappaqua, NY for 26 years. He was a passionate and attentive educator. He also worked many years with the Sparta, New York Historical Society, as well as sold rugs, antiques and paintings. He always had a great interest in architecture.
Gerard lived an active life after his retirement, moving back to Maine, and eventually settling in Bath, Maine. He was involved with the Sagadahoc Preservation Society and the Bath Historical Society. He studied and documented Bath’s historic architecture, researching and interviewing owners of individual historic houses to make pamphlets for the Bath house tours. He was involved with a program that taught fourth graders the different types of architecture in the city of Bath. He was also the Grand Marshall of the fourth of July parade.
Among the things that he enjoyed most was the sport of fencing, playing the cello, and vacationing with his extended family in New Harbor, Maine, visiting Pemaquid Light House often.
Gerard was predeceased by his parents, his first wife Evette Dorian, his second wife Barbara Dorian, and brother in law Rolfe Smith.
He is survived by his brother David Dorion and wife June, sisters Grace Corlett and husband Bob, Gloria Shaw and husband Rev. Lawrence Shaw, and Anne Smith, ten nephews, five nieces, and many great grand nieces and nephews.
Gerard’s family would like to thank the staffs at Thornton Hall, Mid Coast Hospital and the Hawthorne House for their loving care.
The family will have a celebration of Gerard’s life at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gerard’s honor to the Sagadahoc Preservation Society, P.O. Box 322, Bath, ME 04530