David Robinson Hastings II

FRYEBURG — David R. Hastings II, 85, of Fryeburg, died peacefully on Feb. 14, surrounded by his family.

His parents were Hugh W. Hastings and Martha Fifield Hastings. He was born in Fryeburg and after spending some years away serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II and attending school, he returned to Fryeburg, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.

He was admitted to Bowdoin College in 1942.  His college years were interrupted when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as soon as he was old enough to contribute to the war effort. he became a flight navigator and had several domestic postings before the end of the war. After being discharged from the Army Air Corps, he graduated from Bowdoin College and moved to Cambridge, Mass., where he attended Harvard Law School.

While living in Cambridge, he met and fell in love with his wife, Doris. They married on Jan. 18, 1947. Upon his graduation from law school in 1949, he and Doris returned to Fryeburg to live, bringing with them Doris’ two young sons, Bob and John Graustein. He and Doris later expanded their family by adding two more children, David III, and Ann and for some years, the family further expanded to included David’s nephews, Ned and Bill, whose mother had died while her husband, a career Navy officer, was committed to sea duty. Although Ned and Bill were able to return to their father once his sea duty ended, he and Doris both always had a special place in their hearts for them and their families.

He had a long and successful career as an attorney. When he returned to Fryeburg he joined his father, Hugh, in the family law practice, which had been established in 1847 by his great-grandfather and namesake. he worked in the family law practice for his entire adult life, having worked there together over the years with both his brother, Peter, and his son, David III. His last day of work at the law office was the day before he entered the hospital for the treatment of his final illness.

Some highlights of his career were his appointment to the Maine Governor’s Council, being elected three times as County Attorney for Oxford County, serving as chairman of the Board of Trustees for Fryeburg Academy, serving on the Board of Directors of Carroll County Trust Company, later on the Board of Directors of Indian Head Bank and serving as chairman of the Board of Directors of Consumers Water Company. In addition to his other accomplishments, he spent more than 50 years as secretary, trustee, Finance Committee member and, in his last years, president of Fryeburg Fair. His participation in the development of Fryeburg Fair into what it has become today was a matter of great pride to him. It was also a matter of great pride to him that his and Doris’ children, John, David III and Ann, all followed in his footsteps and became attorneys.

He loved family gatherings, where there was never a shortage of opinions to be expressed.   He loved to ski with his family, play golf with his friends and watch baseball, especially the Red Sox.  He loved his wife with all his heart and in their later years together, when her heath declined, he was Doris’ constant and devoted caretaker. One of the greatest tragedies in his life occurred when Doris’ son, LCDR Robert S. Graustein, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a naval aviator, whom he loved as his own, was killed in action in December of 1972 during his third tour of duty in Vietnam. It was a comfort to him that Bob’s widow, now Duddie Andrews, returned to Fryeburg to live with their three sons after Bob’s death.

He is survived by Doris’ son, John A. Graustein and wife, Barbara of Falmouth; a son, David R. Hastings III and wife, Carol of Fryeburg; a daughter, Ann E. Hastings and domestic partner, Patricia of West Baldwin; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Hugh W. Hastings II and Peter G. Hastings, both of Fryeburg; and his sisters, Jane H. Folsom and Mary H. Dumas, both of Alfred; as well as their families and the families of his deceased sister, Helen H. Stearns and deceased brother, Edward E. Hastings II.

His beloved wife, Doris, died before him in November 2009.