BANGOR (AP) – Douglas Brown, founder of Doug’s Shop n Save Supermarkets and a community leader in the Bangor area, died Thursday after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 76.

The Lubec native and former bag boy at a Red and White store in South Portland established a chain of eight stores in eastern Maine that he sold to Hannaford Bros. Co. in 1989, when he turned 60.

Brown went to work for Hannaford straight out of high school, running a Red and White store in Thomaston. After a series of jobs in store management, sales, development and retail operations, he decided at about age 30 to go into business for himself.

With Hannaford as his partner, Brown opened his first store, in Bangor, in 1960. He later expanded to Brewer, Old Town, Bucksport and Ellsworth.

Known for his strong work ethic, Brown often said, “the harder I work, the luckier I get.”

After his retirement, Hannaford ran the stores but Brown remained active as a consultant.

He was active in civic affairs and was credited with saving Husson College from financial collapse in the 1980s by raising money and coming up with a plan to refinance its debt.

Brown’s wife of 53 years, Ana, died in 2001. He remarried, living in Camden with the former Barbara Bryant, a longtime family friend.

Survivors include two children from his first marriage, Ron Brown of Bangor and Debra Additon of Hampden.

A service will be held Aug. 7 at Columbia Street Baptist Church in Bangor.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-07-30-05 1231EDT