WATERVILLE – Leslie McCowan, 85, died peacefully at Maine General Medical Center.

He grew up in Rochester, N.Y., and was a veteran of World War II, where he served in the Army Air Corps, flying P40 fighters and teaching recruits navigational mathematics.

As a lover of the outdoors, he enjoyed skiing and hunting and spent many days casting a fly at the famed Upper Dam Pool. He graduated from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University in 1950, majoring in chemical engineering and forestry.

He loved forestry and worked in the paper industry his entire career. He met his wife, Eleanor, at college and they recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He endeavored to enjoy each day at their home on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in the Rangeley Lakes region.

He was a founding member of the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust and worked hard to help preserve the beauty and wildness of the region. His passion for the area and his knowledge of forestry issues assisted the Trust in the preservation of more than 12,000 of acres of wilderness and 40 miles of undeveloped shoreline with critical loon breeding habitat.

He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; children, Evelyn (Cricket), Brian, Bob, Sue; grandchildren, Nick, Katy, Caryn, Jen, Meagan; and brother, Leonard (Bud). Finally, a lifelong lover of dogs, he is survived by his faithful dog, Kilty, whom he looked after until the end.

He was predeceased by his sister, Midge.

He will be missed by all.