By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The late Bill Shane was known throughout the community for his involvement in local sports like baseball and basketball, the Bridgton Masons, and the American Legion Post 155.

“You can’t enter anywhere in the area, that they don’t know who he was. He loved his family as well as all his friends in the community,” his daughter Julie Johnson said. 

In 1993, Shane became Head of Maintenance for Lake Region High School. 

“He was loved by all. He would sneak basketball players into the gym when they wanted to shoot around, and was always there for the kids when they returned from their late night games. He was the first one to greet the team and ask them how they did or made sure they had a ride home,” Johnson said. “He was working at the school during three of his four grandchildren’s high school careers. He would sneak a handshake to his granddaughter Jessica on Friday afternoons to be sure she had money for the weekend. He was always present for the kids’ home games, and they all appreciated all he did for them.”

The LRHS athletic department started the Bill Shane Award, which is presented to a student athlete “who best exemplifies what basketball stands for: teamwork, sportsmanship, dedication and the desire to win,” Johnson said.

A close friend recalls Shane as thoughtful and considerate, someone you could count on.  

“He was the kinda of guy who would do anything in the world to help out,” Curtis Merrill said. 

Merrill should know. The two had been close friends for 80-plus years. They were neighbors as boys and as adults. Bill Shane lived in a home about 300 yards from Merrill’s when they were boys growing up in Casco. Years later, when Shane got married and starting raising a family, he built his home right across the street from where Merrill lives.

“Bill and I had such a good life together —  doing things, going places, playing sports. We’ve had a great time. Even in our older years, we’ve done a few things together, a few things with the masons and a few things with the legion,” Merrill said. “He was just a dear friend. I cannot say more than that.”

Last year, after a 12-year battle with cancer, Bill Shane passed away on June 20.

This Memorial Day, friends and family were on hand for the unveiling of a granite bench and new flagpole in Shane’s honor. The improved outdoor area is near the Route 11 side of the legion building.

After Shane passed away last summer, the family requested that instead of sending flowers, mourners could be make donations to the American Legion.

“We decided rather than to put the donations into the legion fund or whatever, we wanted to do some work outside. There was enough money to buy a new flagpole and a bench and have it paved around,” Merrill said.  

“That’s what we are doing today— paying him and his family tribute for his services to the legion and to the United States Air Force,” he said. 

Shane served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1962. 

According to Merrill, Shane went into the service after high school, and spent four years in the Air Force. Upon returning to Naples, Shane was involved with the local legion, spending a few years serving as vice commander for the legion, Merrill recalled.

Shane and his wife Beverley raised three daughters: Deb Plummer, Julie Johnson and Lauri Kinser. Shane married Beverley on Sept. 2, 1961. The daughters refer to their mom as “the love as his life.” She passed away May 17, 2018. 

“He was always present in all our lives, sharing stories of his life and the incredible jobs he did for people. He never let a Valentine’s Day go by without getting each one of us a special card. He loved all of us and was devoted to our mom,” said Kinser, who referred to herself as the middle kid.

“Our dad was a true ‘girl dad’ in every way. He was our hero and our rock throughout our lives, right to the bitter end,” Kinser said.

“We were a modest family growing up, but we always could count on mom and dad working hard to make sure we had everything we needed in our lives,” she said.  

Shane was a talented stone-mason, who did that for a living when he was a young adult. That led to his long-time involvement in the Bridgton Masons. 

During the ceremony on Monday, current Post Commander Bill Stuart described how Shane had volunteered to do the stone work for the two pillars, which currently hold the post’s sign. 

Speaking on the behalf of the family, Shane’s daughter Deb Plummer said they were honored that Shane’s memory and his impact on the community was being immortalized though the bench and flagpole that people would enjoy for years to come.

“My dad loved life. If God would have let him, he would have lived to be 100-plus,” daughter Lauri Kinser said. 

“He was dearly loved by family, friends and the community. There is not a person we meet who doesn’t have a kind word to say about what a great man he was and how much they miss his stories,” Kinser said.