DAMARISCOTTA – William M. “Bill” Earle, Ph.D., passed away on the afternoon of Dec. 9, at Miles Memorial Hospital, after being stricken at home.

He was born in Lisbon Falls on Jan. 30, 1935, the son of Myron B. and Ruth F. (Jordan) Earle. He was educated in Lisbon schools, graduating from Lisbon High School in 1953. While in high school, he participated in several groups and was a center on the football team. He attended the University of Maine at Orono, graduating in 1957. While at Maine, he was a member of the football and track teams and a member of Phi Eta Kappa fraternity, serving as its vice president.

Upon graduation, he worked for two years at Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. in Boston, and attended Suffolk University Law School. In 1959, he returned to Maine to begin a long career in education, teaching and coaching in several schools including Hallowell, Old Town, Higgins Classical Institute in Charleston, and Gardiner. In 1986, he earned a Ph.D. in counseling, and continued as a counselor and administrator. He was in private practice at Run for Your Life in Manchester for many years, and served as chemical health coordinator for Union 51 in Richmond and Monmouth schools.

He was also an adult education director in Monmouth, Gardiner, at Mount View in Thorndike and at Oak Hill in Wales. His professional activities included membership on several boards, including appointment in 1996 to the Governor’s Substance Abuse Service Commission, where he served for eight years.

He will be remembered for his caring and compassionate work in the substance abuse field. At the time of his death, he had been working as a counselor for the Maine DEEP.

He was a professional member of the Maine Teacher’s Association, MAEA, NASSP, ASCD and the Maine Guidance Association. He was also a member of the Ancient York Lodge 155 AF & AM, Scottish Rite Bodies, Kora Shrine, Kora Chanters, St. Andrews Society of Maine, and the Randolph and Damariscotta United Methodist Churches.

Shortly before his first retirement, he moved to Damariscotta where he became active in several groups, was elected to serve in the 121st Legislature, the Damariscotta Board of Selectmen and the board at Mobius.

He is survived by two daughters, Jolene and husband, John McKay, and grandsons Ryan, Joshua and Dylan, all of Lisbon, and Susan Johnson and grandsons, Chad and Dallas of Sabattus; one brother, James and his wife, Joyce, of Miltown; sister-in-law, Genevieve Earle of Northboro, Mass.; his fiance, Natalie House, of Damariscotta; as well as several nephews, nieces, cousins and their families.

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