John Richardson Biscoe
1936 – 2009
AUBURN — John “Jack” Biscoe passed away peacefully on Nov. 20, at the Hospice House after a prolonged illness. Jack was born Aug. 10, 1936, in Boston, to Professor Jonathan and Martha (Richardson) Biscoe. Educated in the schools of Nyack., N.Y., Amherst, Mass., and Orono, he graduated from Orono High School in 1953. While at Orono High, he started at left guard on the state championship football team of 1952, and earned a place on the All State team.
After high school, he attended the University of Maine and graduated in 1957 with a degree in zoology. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. Later he earned a master’s degree in education from Colby College.
For six years, he served his country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. On June 20, 1959, he was married to Carlyn Smith of Portland.
He enjoyed a long, successful career in education as principal of the Maine high schools in Harrington, Strong and Turner. He retired from Leavitt Area High in Turner in 1987.
After retirement, he enjoyed making and selling furniture and craft items and eventually became involved in the antiques business. Along with his wife, he journeyed many times to England for business and pleasure. Summer activities during these years included a clambake enterprise in and around South Bristol.
As a zoology major with a particular interest in fisheries, he worked for two summers for the state of Maine and also in Alaska on a salmon tagging boat. Loving Alaska, he volunteered twice to return and assist in the oil cleanup after the wreck of the tanker, Exxon Valdez. He also became very active with the Sierra Club and the Alaska Wilderness League.
He is survived by his twin brother, Mark Biscoe and wife, Jane, of Brunswick; his sister, Mary Biscoe of Raleigh, N.C.; and a large and loving extended family. And he will be remembered with fondness by many, many friends, some of whom 56 years ago in his OHS yearbook described him for life, “His friends there are many ; his foes — are there any?”
He was predeceased by his daughter, Laura in 2007; and his wife, Carlyn in 2008.
The family is so very appreciative of the encouraging cards sent to Jack during his illness by these old, dear friends.
The family would also like especially to thank Jack’s wonderful friends Elaine Chenard and Mary Smith as well as his loving and loyal caregivers who came to his home for more than a year. Maxine Whitehouse, Chris Darche, Janice Lambert, Cathy McKinnon and Maria Vance — we will never forget “you.” Special thanks is also extended to the caring staff at Hospice House of Androscoggin.