ORLAND
January 8, 1942 – March 29, 2018
Frank Imre Hamory left a beautiful legacy filled with memories of food, laughter and love. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and four children, Alexander Imre, age 46, of Park City, Utah, Nicole Cavallaro, age 44, of Salt Lake City, Maja Liotta 44, of Maui, Hawaii, and Marlis Hamory, 40, of Santa Barbara, Calif., and nine adoring grandchildren.
Imre immigrated from Budapest, Hungary, during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. His mother, Marion, and brother Peter made headlines in the New York Times as they recounted their incredible journey in February of 1956. He and his brother graduated from Devon Prepatory as a recipient of a refugee scholarship. He also attended Pratt Institute in NYC, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in hotel and restaurant administration. Imre hit the ground running, landing a job at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
The son of a Hungarian Opera protégé, Frank was a father, husband, entertainer, chef, host and friend of many. He is best remembered for his deep baritone voice and his distinct Hungarian accent, making him the perfect Count Dracula in the local community theater, “Theater on the rocks” in York, Maine, where the couple raised their four kids and ran their restaurant, The Spice of Life, for a decade.
Locals remember Frank as the consummate host, always willing to play a trick, tell a joke or join the local musicians on his set of bongo drums. In addition to his participation in the local theater, Frank earned legendary status playing character roles in the local ballet company, Ballet New England. With his performance as the Mouse King, Cinderella’s ugly stepsister, Herr Drossemeyer and most remarkably, the legs of Mother Ginger, Frank gave new definition to the term character. To unwind, Frank enjoyed tying his own flies for fly fishing and rebuilding classic wooden boats, one of which is still on the water today; a Cape Cod knockabout sailboat enjoyed on the waters of Lake Alamosook.
Frank was a man of many passions. Memories we cherish of our time with Frank include enjoying boat ride sunrises over the ocean while hauling lobster traps, chasing schools of bluefish or striper across the ocean in one of his handsome rebuilt classic wooden fishing boats, sampling with delight one of his many culinary creations, or learning how to properly clean fish and make the best fish fry ever. One of the greatest legacies Frank passed on to his children is the importance of living passionately and the priceless value of giving and sharing through food and drink.
After a successful career with Parson Brinckerhoff as a corporate trainer, Frank retired with his wife, Dorothy, in Orland and built their lakefront home where they spent many summers with their children and grand children enjoying sunsets, fishing adventures, lobster bakes, pig roasts with the company of their lake friends. Frank passed away on March 29, 2018, of alcohol-related liver disease. Frank’s life exemplifies why addiction needs to be seen as a disease and not a weakness in character. His remains were cremated and a celebration of life will take place this summer on Lake Alamoosook in Orland.