1937 – 2003

STOW – Cmdr. Michael Francis Loomis, Ret., 65, of Greenwood, died Sept. 24, in Stow.

He was born in Ft. Wayne, Ind., on Nov. 25, 1937, the son of Thomas and Patricia (Loney) Loomis. He was educated in Indiana schools and joined the U.S. Navy in September 1961.

He was a graduate of the naval post graduate school in Monterey, Calif., with a master’s degree in Acoustics. He served his country for 20 years retiring in January 1982 as a commander of Portsmouth Navy Shipyard.

After retiring from the Navy, he worked and retired from the Essex Corp. of Portsmouth. He became an award winning professional wildlife photographer and was a former member of the Portsmouth Seacoast Camera Club as well as the Sierra Club.

He spent three years hiking and photographing Yellowstone, Glacier and Rocky Mountain State parks as well as other places around the country. He was a life long naturalist and never knew what kind of wildlife his wife was going to bring home for rehabilitation.

Cmdr. Loomis is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jennifer (Murray) Loomis of Greenwood; two sons, Timothy Loomis of Stratham, N.H., and Matthew Loomis of Durham, N.H.; one daughter, Rachel Loomis of Telluride, Colo.; and one sister, Diane Ryan of Florida.