BANGOR – Prentiss Godfrey, 95, died March 16, 2011, in Bangor. He was born Dec. 12, 1915, in Bangor, the son of Edward R. and Emma (Eastman) Godfrey.
He was the great-grandson of the late Judge John E. Godfrey, an early judge of probate and a founder of Bangor Historical Society, and whose journals covering the latter part of the 19th century were published, adding to the historical records of the period. He was also a great-grandson of Henry E. Prentiss, a lawyer and landowner in Bangor, the mayor of Bangor from 1870 to 1871, and who also represented Bangor in the Maine State Legislature. Mr. Godfrey’s father, the late Edward R. Godfrey, started the Bangor Airport, now Bangor International Airport, in the mid-1920s, having purchased several farms in the area which were developed into an airport. Prior to World War II, at which time the government took over the airport, it was known as Godfrey Field. Mr. Godfrey learned to fly here in 1930. During World War II and for some years thereafter, the airport was an Air Force base, Dow Air Force Base, and then it became Bangor International Airport after the government turned it over to the city of Bangor. The access road running from Union Street to the airline terminal at Bangor International Airport is named Godfrey Boulevard in memory of Mr. Godfrey’s father. Mr. Godfrey maintained a keen interest in aviation throughout his life. Prentiss Godfrey grew up in Bangor and attended Somerset School, Bangor, and graduated from Wassokeag School, Dexter, in 1934. In 1938 he graduated from Harvard College and in 1941 from the University of Michigan Law School. During World War II he flew submarine patrol missions for the Civil Air Patrol’s Coastal Patrol base in Portland, and later was a civilian pilot and instructor at an Army Air Force glider school in Mobile, Ala. After the glider training program was terminated, he became a U.S. Navy flight instructor until that program was terminated toward the close of the war. After the war he returned to Bangor and entered the practice of law, which he carried on for many years. For 35 years he was closely associated with several banks in the area. He was director of Lincoln Trust Co., Lincoln, also Eastern Trust and Banking Co., Bangor, and when those banks merged into Northeast Bankshare Association and later Norstar Bank, he became director of both of those organizations, retiring at age 70, when Norstar Bank became Fleet Bank. Also, for 22 years, he was a trustee of Brewer Savings Bank.
He is survived by his wife, Frances (Edwards) Godfrey, to whom he was married in August 1944; three sons, John E. Godfrey of Swampscott, Mass., David P. Godfrey of Boothbay Harbor and Donald Godfrey of Yarmouth; two daughters, Ann (Godfrey) Ogilvie of Swampscott, Mass., and Alice (Godfrey) Eyles of Hampden; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mr. Godfrey was a person of strong character and devotion to his family, and will be greatly missed.
In accordance with Mr. Godfrey’s wishes, there will be no funeral, calling hours or memorial service. A service of Brookings-Smith, Bangor.