Bar Harbor
Sunrise to Sunset
January 23, 1950 – March 24, 2021
Born in Palmer Springs, Va., to Lucille Virginia Seward and Walter Thomas. As a child his happiest memories were of walking alongside the Roanoke River and Lake Kerr near the home he was born.
As a teen he relocated to Boston, Mass., with family. He joined the U.S. Air Force and served in Vietnam. Upon his discharge in 1973, he made his way to Bar Harbor, where his daughter Priscilla Anne ( Seward) Moncrieffe was born in 1974.
From there on he made Bar Harbor his home. Throughout these 46 years he has contributed greatly to the “Growing Up in Bar Harbor” memories that many share to this day.
He served in maintenance for many years at the Bar Harbor Town Hall. He was teacher, protector and sometimes cupid for the many children and teens that grew up skating at Glen Mary. For many of you there are memories of him lovingly tying your skates, keeping the fire warm and the cocoa ready. For me, I remember the sparkle in his eye when he described how he made “the ice shine.” He devoted decades of good service at the Bar Harbor Inn. Above all else, if I were to consider what his job description was, “caretaker” sums it up. For residents and visitors alike, many looked forward to his smile, his warm, welcoming spirit, his stories and his poking fun … and if by chance one day it actually does snow in July well, you can say, “He told ya so.”
He truly had a way of drawing you in as though he was the center of the room and whomever he was engaged in conversation with was the only person in the room. He used to say to me, “Now I want you to pay attention and listen carefully, this is very important, I want you to remember this….”
If in that moment you just had a memory, please share. Any photos, memories short stories or videos can be submitted to Priscilla Moncrieffe (daughter) at birthedinhealing@gmail.com. I would love to include them as part of his life celebration on Saturday, April 10, from noon-4 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Inn, 1 Newport Dr., Bar Harbor.
For those who would like to send flowers or cards, I only ask that you send live potted plants and flowers. They will be received in love and will bring further enjoyment for the years to come. He leaves behind one daughter, one grandson and a host of family and friends who loved him dearly. I truly believe he has already heard those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
God bless you and keep you always. If there was a theme song for the day, it would be from his favorite of all time, Sam Cooke’s “Change Gonna Come.”