READFIELD – Peter Dodge Stengel, 86, died Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004, following a brief illness.

He was born in Boston, Mass., a son of Peter and Mildred Dodge Stengel, and grew up in Belmont and Marblehead. He graduated from Browne & Nichols School, and Bowdoin College in 1939.

In 1937, he sailed with Captain Donald B. MacMillan to Baffin Island on the last voyage of the Gertrude Thebaud. This was the first year “Capt. Mac” included students on his trips to the Arctic. Peter was an officer in the United States Navy during World War II.

He moved his family from Belmont, Mass., to New Gloucester in 1962, where he was active in church and community affairs. He worked for Lever Bros., Raytheon, RCA and Pioneer Plastics.

In 1987, he moved to Readfield. He was an amateur-radio operator for more than 50 years, using the call letters W1WYX.

He was a member of the United States Power Squadron in Marathon, Fla., and the Kennebec River Sail and Power Squadron.

He was an avid bird-watcher and observer of nature, and was happiest when his dog was at his side. The past few years were spent researching family genealogy.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred; two daughters, Cynthia of Standish, and Carol and her husband, Gary Wood, and his daughter, Alison, of Gray; a sister, Anita Clos of Raleigh N.C.; and brother, Robert, of Concord, Mass. Other survivors are Michele and Brad Dooling and their children, Joel and Malerie, of Winthrop, Marcia and David Quinby and their children, Kipp, Trent and Dale, of Sedgwick, and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by two wives, Ruth Gibson in 1946, and Dorothy Scherig in 1984.