GORHAM — Royce F. O’Donal, founder of O’Donal’s Tree Nursery, peacefully passed away in his sleep at his Gorham home on Thursday, June 6, 2019, in the arms of his beloved wife after a long and prosperous life.

The eldest son of Charles and Lena O’Donal, he was born on Feb. 16, 1927, in Smithfield. Here, he attended a one room schoolhouse and learned the value of hard work to help support the family. In 1944, he met the love of his life, Selma (Sally) Milbury from Danvers, Mass. It was love at first sight and he knew he would one day marry her. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1945-1946 before earning an honorable discharge due to family hardship. He completed school, graduating from Scarborough High School in 1945 and returned to work on the family farm. He and Sally married on May 10, 1952, and recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. Together, they raised six children and owned and operated O’Donal’s Tree Nursery. In 1959, he purchased the property on 132 County Road in Gorham, opened the tree nursery in 1960 and devoted the next 32 years to developing one of the largest retail tree nurseries in the state of Maine. He was a founding member of the Maine Nurserymen Association and served on the advisory committee to set up the horticultural program at Southern Maine Community College. Over the decades, he earned numerous accolades and honors culminating in the Al Dwight Black Lifetime Achievement Award for Horticulture in January 1999. After “retiring” in 1992, he spent the next 27 years planting and caring for trees and shrubs, building furniture and bird houses and spending time with his expanding family.

He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Lena O’Donal; sisters, Erla Merry and Avis Mitchell; and brothers, Merle and Roger O’Donal.

He is survived by his wife, Selma Milbury O’Donal; and children, Michael O’Donal of Moffat, Co., Wayne O’Donal of Denmark, Jeffrey O’Donal of Gorham, Suzan Sweeney of Saranac Lake, N.Y., Nancy Mash of Gorham and Ellyn Phelps of Hollis; his brother, Harmon O’Donal of Eagle Point, Ore.; sister, Hattie Jane Stubbs of Windham; 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours were on Monday, June 10, 2019, at the Windham Chapel of Dolby Blais & Segee, 434 River Road, Windham, ME 04062. A funeral service was celebrated Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at 2 p.m., at First Congregational Church, 161 Black Point Road in Scarborough. Burial services followed at Black Point Cemetery, Black Point Road Scarborough.

To express condolences or participate in Royce’s online tribute, please visit www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association Maine Chapter, 383 US Route One, Ste. 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.