Arthur Perrin Jr.

WINDHAM — Arthur Rochfort Perrin Jr., 92, died on May 3, 2014, in Portland.

He was born in Hartford, Conn., on April 27, 1922, the son of Arthur Rochfort Perrin and Catherine (MacClymont) Perrin. He moved to Syracuse, N.Y., in 1924, graduating from Nottingham High School in 1940.

He matriculated at the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University in the fall of 1940. While at Syracuse, he was a member of the crew team, rowing in regattas throughout the northeast. However, in 1942, the war had reached a point where many more troops were needed.

In March of 1943, Arthur chose the Army and was sent to North Carolina for basic training. He then went to the University of Pittsburg for a year of study in mechanical engineering. After graduating, he was chosen for officer training (OCS) at Fort Belvoir outside Washington, D.C., receiving his lieutenants’ bars. While en route to the Philippines, the bomb was dropped on Japan, ending the war. He arrived in Manila and was sent to the Baton Peninsula to take over and close down Forestry Company. He was eventually reassigned to the U.S. and discharged in June 1946. He returned to Syracuse, graduating in 1948 and took a job at S.D. Warren Co. with four other SU Forestry graduates.

In January 1951, he was called back to the Army and sent to Wuerzburg, Germany, overseeing construction of buildings in Aschaffenburg and Bad Kissingen. He loved this assignment. While skiing in the Zugspitze in April 1952, he met Janet, traveled with her throughout Europe after his discharge and they married in September 1952, in Erding, Germany.

He returned to Maine and his career at the S.D. Warren Co., and in 1954 purchased an 1812 farmhouse in Windham. He enjoyed restoring the historic home with Janet where they raised their four children. He liked to work on the house and in the yard during his free time. He always had a home improvement project going; mowing and gardening during the summer months and keeping the pond behind the house cleared for skating and ice hockey during the winter.

In the early 60s, they built a home on Hancock Pond in Denmark where they enjoyed summers on the water. He thoroughly enjoyed canoeing, both paddling and restoring canoes, and took several trips on Maine rivers with his sons and family. In winter, it was not unusual to pile in the car and head off in search of good skiing. He enjoyed sports; skiing, running, and playing tennis on their court at Hancock Pond. In the 60s, they planted a tree farm on much of their Windham acreage.

In his youth in upstate New York, he was actively involved in Scouting, particularly enjoying the remote summer camps in the Adirondacks and he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He continued his involvement in Scouting with his sons as a Scout leader in the North Windham troop. He supported his sons serving as president of the Windham Little League. He was active in the American Field Service (AFS) Club, the Windham School PTA as well Windham School building committee and actively supported the many youth programs his children participated in.

Arthur and Janet traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and once to Africa. After his retirement from S.D. Warren in 1987, he spent six years in Pulp and Paper Consulting with Gorham International before joining Janet at her music store, Gallery Music in Portland, retiring in 2004. Arthur always enjoyed music and singing, beginning with a quartet in Westbrook in the 50s and later the Portland Community Chorus and the Choral Arts Society.

Arthur leaves his sister, Patricia of Fredericksburg, Va.; sons, Christopher Perrin and William Perrin, both of Gorham; daughters, Maidli Hill of Marlborough, N.H. and Lisa Perrin of Weyarn, Germany; six grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Arthur was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Janet.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 15, at 2 p.m., at the Dolby Funeral Chapel, 434 River Road, Windham, with a reception to follow. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.dolbyfuneralchapels.com