PORTLAND — Ted Bonville, 62, of Cumberland, passed away at Maine Medical Center on Tuesday evening, Dec. 27, 2011, after a courageous battle with kidney cancer and with his family sending him on his way.

Ted was born on Jan. 25, 1949, in Fort Fairfield, the second son of William and Celia Bonville’s three sons. After a brief stint as an Air Force brat, he grew up in Maine and Connecticut, living his middle school and high school years in the Westerly, R.I. and Stonington, Conn. area. He graduated from Stonington High School, Class of 1967, where he played golf all four years. As a freshman, he was a member of the school’s inaugural team. Ted went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in History from Central Connecticut State University in 1972.

Ted spent a number of years as a restaurant waiter in Mystic, Conn., giving him ample time to hone his skill as a cook and to pursue his passion for the game of golf. He returned to school to become a computer programmer and followed that career path for 30 years.

In 1983, he came back to his home state of Maine to settle in the Yarmouth/Cumberland area. He worked in the IT and finance areas for such area firms as Blue Cross, L.L. Bean, Systems Assurance, and ended his programming career with Mercy Hospital in 2010.

Ted was a longtime and very active member of Val Halla Golf Club in Cumberland, where he served on the board and a tour as the club handicapper. He could be found participating in many weekend club tournaments and MSGA events and had a knack for managing to frequently lead his team onto the money list when the dust settled. He had many wonderful friends at Val Halla and it was a very important part of his life.

People from Ted’s childhood, workplace, pastime and his many friends frequently would observe “everyone likes Ted” and found his kind, understated, sometimes quiet, presence reassuring.

Ted and Nancy Noyes managed to find each other in the mid to late 90s, fell in love, married, and lived in Cumberland with frequent trips to their second home in Sarasota, Fla.

Nancy has been a remarkable partner for Ted, especially with her dignified strength in support of his difficult final journey. She matched him step for step right to the final stride. Ted embraced Nancy’s daughter Sara, who with her husband Chris (Cunningham) and their two children, Olivia and Braeden, brought him great joy and pride. He has been their “Grampa” since their birth and will be deeply missed.

In addition, Ted is survived by his beloved mother, Celia of Pawcatuck, Conn.; his brother and frequent journey companion, Steve of Cumberland; his “kid” brother, Curt of North Stonington, Conn.; two nieces and nephews; seven grandnieces and nephews and a strong elder presence for them all at the many annual gatherings at one of his favorite places, the longtime Bonville family camp on Lovewell Pond in Fryeburg.

Ted was predeceased by his father, golf partner, and boyhood hero, Bill, in 1994.

Calling hours were held on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, at Independent Death Care, 660 Brighton Avenue, Portland, followed by a brief memorial service at the funeral home at 4 p.m. A celebration of Ted’s life followed at the Val Halla golf facility, 1 Val Halla Road, in Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested those seeking to memorialize Ted do so with a donation in his name to the Kidney Cancer Research Fund Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, c/o Michael Atkins, 375 Longwood Ave., Masco Bldg., Rm. 412, Boston, MA 02215 or the charity of your preference.