DOVER-FOXCROFT – Rev. David Mitchell McLeish, 77, husband of Faith (Gourlay) McLeish, died May 15, 2004, at his residence. He was born March 15, 1927, in Lockerbie, Scotland, the son of David Mitchell and Hilda (Purves) McLeish. He was a dairy farmer in northeast Scotland before immigrating with his family to Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 1957. There he worked on two farms before coming to be a dairyman at the Dunlop’s farm in Skowhegan. Shortly after coming to Maine, he found Jesus Christ as his Savior at the Skowhegan Church of the Nazarene. From that time on, his passion was to serve the Lord through ministry and example. He planted the Dover-Foxcroft Church of the Nazarene in 1966, first at his home on West Main Street, and in 1975 moving to the building on the Dexter Road, pastoring in Dover-Foxcroft for 36 years. He had served as the chaplain for the Correctional Center at Charleston for 18 years and on the Dover-Foxcroft Planning Board for more than 23 years. He even carried over the same sense of service when he eventually took over the Bangor Daily News delivery routes which first his children and then grandchildren had already had for 12 years. It was very important to him to provide the best possible service to his customers. Over the years, while pastoring the church, he worked at Indian Hill Farm in Greenville, the Dover-Foxcroft Sheriff’s office, Penquis Surge, and most recently for 27 years at the Lary Funeral Home. He loved his Scottish heritage as well as classical music, poetry, sheep, the night sky, mountains, and he was sure all these things would be in heaven. He had many friends whom he loved deeply, and for whom he prayed faithfully. His philosophy was that to live a shorter life doing all the things you love and which have lasting value is better than living a long life but not serving your God and fellow man with all your heart. He lived his life totally immersed in this philosophy. For several years it gave him great joy to participate in Work and Witness trips for the Church of the Nazarene in Malawi, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and most recently, Trinidad. He was able to make wonderful new friends as the teams built churches and shared their faith with others. David is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Faith; four sons, David Michael and his wife, Ressie, of Newport, Andrew and his wife, Sandy, of Centerville, Va., Hamish of Holbrook, Mass., Richard and his wife, Tracy, of Pembroke, Mass.; a daughter, Pamela of Holbrook, Mass.; a brother, William “Bill” and his wife, Beryl, of Edinburgh, Scotland; two sisters, Nancy Hill of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Hilda and her husband, Ken Steel, of Crieff, Scotland; six grandchildren, David Matthew, LaDawna, Darolyn, Erik, Joshua, and Hanah; three great-grandchildren, Kayla, Elise, and David Mason. He was predeceased by a brother, Sandy. Friends are invited to call 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 21, 2004, at the Lary Funeral Home, Dover-Foxcroft. Memorial services will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, with the Rev. Norman Shaw from the Augusta Church of the Nazarene and the Rev. Ken Dale officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Milo. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to either Maine District Work and Witness Fund, care of Mrs. Barbara Moore, 16 Cross Hill Road, Augusta, ME 04330 or to Charleston Correctional Facility Christmas Fund, 1202 Dover Road, Charleston, ME 04422.
REV. DAVID MCLEISH
