Daniel J. Wellehan Jr.

YARMOUTH – Daniel J. Wellehan, Jr., 91, passed away on Dec. 16, 2024 peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. Dan was born on Dec. 4, 1933, in Lewiston, Maine, the oldest son of Daniel J. Wellehan Sr. and Kathleen McGuinn Wellehan’s two sons. Both parents raised him with a strong sense of his Irish heritage. He grew up in Lewiston, graduating from St. Dominic’s High School in 1951. He graduated cum laude from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. in 1955 with a degree in Economics and Philosophy.

He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Borie, a destroyer, from July 1955 to November 1959, stationed in the Persian Gulf. He was a Lieutenant, serving as the Communications Officer for the Combat Information Center.

Dan married Jane Costello, also from Lewiston, in 1959 and moved to Portland in 1960. They were blessed with six girls and were married for 37 years. Dan loved being a dad, teaching his daughters to ski and to bodysurf, and piling everyone into the station wagon to enjoy Sunday “Mystery Adventures” exploring Maine. Dan cherished spending summers at Pine Point Beach on the long, sandy beach in his youth, as a parent raising his children, and as a fun-loving grandparent.

He began his long career in the shoe industry in 1959, joining the family business, Lamey-Wellehan Shoes. In 1961, he left Lamey-Wellehan and joined Sebago-Moc (later Sebago, Inc.) in Westbrook, Maine. Sebago was founded in 1946 by his father, Daniel J. Wellehan Sr., Joseph Cordeau, William Beaudoin, and Roland McDonald. Dan was a keen student of the industry, always watching what people were wearing. He served as a director of the New England Shoe and Leather Association and on the board of Footwear Industries of America. He kept Sebago focused on producing top quality footwear throughout his tenure. He was an incredibly ethical employer and business partner. As the shoe industry evolved, Dan was an innovator who understood the importance of building a global brand. In 1972, Dan helped create Docksides™, known around the world for their many different colors and their excellent grip on the deck of any boat. His love of travel inspired him to seek out and establish a retail presence around the world, creating partnerships with international distributors, many of whom remain dear friends. Sebago™ and Docksides™ were sold in over 57 countries and are still sold in high end shops in Europe. The brand was synonymous with Maine and high-quality footwear. In 2003, the company was sold; it was the last major handsewn shoe factory in Maine. Dan was President and CEO when he retired.

Sailing was one of Dan’s great passions. He fell in love with the sport on his first sail when he was 10. His first boat was a Lightning that he sailed as a teenager on Saco Bay. As an adult, he joined the Portland Yacht Club and raced on Casco Bay and up and down the coast of Maine for decades on Shamrock. Known as “Captain Dan” to many, he was an excellent sailor, but best known in the fleet as a real gentleman, eager to congratulate a competitor on a great race or recount a sea story. He was a member of the New York Yacht Club, the Norwegian Ocean and Cruising Club, and served as a President of the Gulf of Maine Racing Association. He raced in the Caribbean at the “Copa de Velasco” in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1993, he sailed with Gary Jobson around Cape Horn. One of Dan’s proudest sailing accomplishments was starting the MS Regatta with Merle Hallet in 1982, which has since raised over $3 million for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

In 1999, Dan met Lise-Lott Möllerstan of Stockholm, Sweden, and they married in 2000. They enjoyed 24 years together, traveling, sailing, and spending winters in Florida. They also loved simply watching the birds and squirrels at their beautiful home in Yarmouth. Lise was instrumental in caring for Dan in his final years, when his neuropathy made life more difficult.

Family, recovery through the 12-step community, and his Catholic faith were the foundations of Dan’s life. In addition to sailing, his passions included playing the piano, singing, and painting. Dan loved singing with the choirs of Holy Cross College, Sacred Heart Church of Portland, and Sacred Heart Church of Yarmouth. He loved singing at home, especially sad Irish songs or Christmas songs on Christmas Eve, when he shared his love of music with his daughters, their husbands, and his 10 grandchildren. In retirement, Dan embraced his early love of watercolor painting with gusto, determination, and dedication. The coast of Maine and Ireland were two of his favorite subjects. Dan painted through last summer.

Dan served on the boards of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, People’s Heritage Bank, and the Catholic Foundation of Maine. Dan was a founding trustee of Portland’s Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. His philanthropy to Holy Cross College was honored with the Cornerstone Medal. Dan made significant contributions to the Portland Recovery Community Center, where he volunteered.

Dan is survived by his wife Lise, six daughters, three sons-in-law, and 10 grandchildren, Lise Wellehan of Yarmouth; Sheila Wellehan of Cape Elizabeth; Katie Wellehan of West Linn, Ore. and her sons Aidan and Noah Clark; Jane Wellehan and her husband David Ruff of Portland and their daughters Bridget and Maggie; Mary Wellehan of Portland and her daughter Lila; Deirdre Lacambra and her husband Mark of Seattle, Wash. and their children Sophia and Jack, and Shauna Damboise and her husband David of Yarmouth and their children Madeline, Amelia, and Jake. Dan is also survived by his brother, James F.X. Wellehan and his wife Katherine of Auburn; his stepdaughter, Anne Konstantino and her husband Peter of Yarmouth, his stepson, Christian Johnson and his wife Amy Luisetti of Kentfield, Calif.; and seven step-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank Comfort Keepers for their extraordinary, loving care over the last year, and to Northern Light Home Care and Hospice.

Visiting hours celebrating Dan’s life will be held Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodfords St., Portland. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main St., Yarmouth. A reception will follow at the Portland Yacht Club, 40 Powerhouse Rd., Falmouth. Burial will be in the spring at Mount Hope Cemetery in Lewiston.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made

in Dan’s memory to

Portland Recovery Community Center or to

the charity of your choice.

Portland Recovery Community Center

https://portlandrecovery.org

102 Bishop St.

Portland, ME 04103