GREAT GOTT ISLAND – Edward Northwood Kenway, 92, passed away March 10, 2017, at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Bangor. Northwood was born on Aug. 17, 1924, in Newtonville, Mass., the son of Edward and Hilda Kenway. He is survived by his children, Lester, Geoffrey and Nancy, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
In the fall of 1942, he enrolled at Harvard University. After his first semester, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and served as an aerial photographer in India where he developed topographical photos. Northwood continued his love for photography throughout his lifetime.
When he returned from service in World War II, he bought his dream home, the Harding Homestead on Great Gott Island, where he devoted his life to making it a year-round residence. In 1950, he married his wife of 60 years, Rita Johnson.
In 1985, when Northwood retired from a 30-year career at 3M as an award-winning abrasives salesman, he and Rita lived 18 straight months on Gott Island. This was an amazing experience and thus, they bought a home in Southwest Harbor to split their time equally between Mount Desert and Great Gott Island. In 1996, Northwood commissioned the building of the Dauntless, a Merrill Cove 20 boat.
In 2006, Northwood and Rita moved to Southwest Harbor. After Rita passed in 2011, he became a beloved member of the Quakers on Mount Desert, where he received much support and love from his friends the next six years as he struggled with macular degeneration.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, 2017, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Southwest Harbor. His final resting place will be in the private cemetery on Great Gott Island. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Beacon Hospice of Bangor at 304 Hancock St. #3A, Bangor, ME 04401, or the Brightfocus Foundation, which supports research on Macular Degeneration. To donate, visit: https://support.brightfocus.org.
Author information
The post Edward Northwood Kenway appeared first on The Ellsworth American.