BREWER – John William VanWart, known as “Bill” to family and friends, passed away Nov. 12, 2004, at the Brewer Rehabilitation and Living Center after a brief illness. Bill was born on Sept. 27, 1918, at Portage Lake, the youngest son of Bruce Nelson VanWart and Christina Arnold VanWart, originally of Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. The family moved to the Wiswell Road in Brewer when Bill was a young child and he considered the Brewer area as home. In 1948, he married Jean Anne Hall of Holden. They have resided in Orrington since 1962. On Nov. 24, they would have celebrated 55 years of marriage. Bill’s favorite hobby was fishing in his Old Town Sponson canoe and he proudly remembered catering to the needs of dignitaries who visited Bangor “in the old days” during his nearly 40 years of employment at the historical Bangor House. Always willing to lend a helping hand, he will be greatly missed by those who knew him and depended on his assistance up until just a few months ago when he started to lose his struggle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jean; son, James VanWart of Orrington; son, Daniel VanWart and his wife, Gail, of Dedham; loving granddaughter, Jennifer Harriman and her husband, Richard, of Winterport; loving grandson, David VanWart, of Orrington; and delightful great-granddaughter, Hayleigh Harriman of Winterport. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Hilda VanWart; and several adoring nieces and nephews, including niece, Beverly Devine and her husband, Rex, of Iowa; niece, Shirley Myatt and her husband, Mike, of North Carolina; niece, Mona VanWart of Meddybemps; and nephew, Martin VanWart and his family also of Maine. He is predeceased by his parents; four brothers, Douglas, Beverly (Lloyd), Harry, Robert; and two sisters, Agatha (Gertrude) and Grace. A humble man, he wished to be remembered with a quiet family gathering. At his request there will be no visiting hours and a private memorial will be held in his memory at a later date. Friends can make gifts in his memory to CancerCare of Maine, PO Box 404, Bangor, ME 04402-0404, as he appreciated and praised the care he received from the nursing staff there, or to the Bangor Humane Society, 6938 Mt. Hope Avenue, Bangor, ME 04401, as his very closest companions were his dog, Misty, and a big black cat named Blackie.
JOHN WILLIAM VANWART
