LEWISTON — James Walter Carignan, 71, died Sunday, Aug. 14, after a courageous battle with heart and renal disease. He was the son of the late Herve and Florence Carignan, and the husband of Sally Larson Carignan, with whom he recently celebrated his 49th wedding anniversary.

Jim was born in Laconia, N.H., on Aug. 31, 1939. He graduated from Bates College in 1961, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. He taught history at Kent State University and Kenyon College in Ohio.

Returning to his alma mater as dean of men in 1969, he was appointed dean of the college in 1971. At the request of President Harward, Jim launched the Bates Center for Service Learning, one of the first of its kind in the country and a program that continues to be a national model. He co-chaired LA Together, a program that led to greater collaboration and cooperation between Lewiston and Auburn. He served two terms as a Lewiston city councilor, also penning a column for the Lewiston Sun Journal entitled “From the Front Porch.”

His accomplishments were many. Former Gov. King appointed him to the Maine Learning Results Task Force. He also worked successfully to resolve labor disputes as a mediator for the state of Maine. After his retirement from Bates College in 2005, he was appointed by former Gov. Baldacci to the State Board of Education, serving until his death. He served as the chairman of the Maine Mathematics Alliance. As chairman of the St. Mary’s Health Care System Board, Jim led the board as they continued their commitment to downtown Lewiston, taking great pride in their building of attractive, high-quality, low-income housing. He worked with the United Donor Organ Society initiative (UNOS) to promote and support organ donation.

Jim was a visionary whose all-encompassing optimism and faith centered on his belief in the capacity of his fellow man and woman to do the right and just thing. He believed deeply in the freeing of people’s prejudices and the raising up of lives through education. He believed in the capacity of people to solve problems together when respect is present. His passion for civil rights for all people played itself out in his work at the college, in the community and in his own personal life. His personal courage in meeting and overcoming adversity was an enormous inspiration to those who knew him as well. Jim’s indefatigable and contagiously optimistic spirit, which was larger than life, is an enormous gift he shared with us all.

He is survived by his wife, Sally Larson Carignan; his children, Mark Carignan and his wife, Sherri, Steven Carignan and his wife, Anastasia, Paul Carignan and his wife, Sally, and Sarah Carignan Belanger. He will also be missed by his grandchildren, Nathan, Daniel, Samuel, Rachel, Liviah, Ella, Maya, James and Lily.