Obituary of Steven S Seekins

Steve Seekins, 72, resident of Clark Island village, died Wednesday, June 15, at home with his wife and children by his side. His stalwart battle with cancer ended, and his family, friends and colleagues gathered Saturday to celebrate his remarkable life on the deck he built after his cancer surgery two years ago. He is survived by his life partner Naomi, sons Dana, Jesse, Matt, Brian, Chris, Hal and daughter Sandy, 27 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Steve loved life, had a remarkably wide range of interests, and took every opportunity to learn and experience new ideas and adventures. As his neighbors attested, he was always “doing something, always on the move." He loved to help others, and was often seen on his tractor, whether helping to dig gardens and trenches, or using his Kubota to clear the drives and mailboxes in the winter. Any excuse to get on that tractor was a good one for Steve. Born in Marblehead, Mass., he lived in many places in the United States while he attended college and subsequently joined the Navy. He attended Notre Dame and Purdue Universities, graduating with degrees in electrical and nuclear engineering. He joined the Submarine force in 1958, attending Nuclear Power School in Vallejo, Calif., and toured New York, Maine, and Connecticut with the military. He attended Officer Training School in Newport, R.I., and was a Lt. Commander on the Will Rogers, serving also as Communications Officer and Officer of the Deck. During this time he was based in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, with his first wife, Judi Fonseca, and children. Returning to the Sub School in Groton, Conn. in 1975, Steve served as an instructor in the Officer Training Department until he retired from active duty and joined the firm of Analysis and Technology as a defense contractor. He remained in the Navy Reserves for another 15 years, working on the East Coast as a Naval Intelligence Officer assigned to the Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) Unit for many years. He designed their outdoor courses, and reveled in the time spent leaping out of helicopters and working with the teams in the field. He and his second wife, Frances Williams, and children lived in Gales Ferry, where his next-door neighbor and yoga teacher, Naomi Howe, got to know him. Steve moved from Connecticut to Annandale Va., where Fran died in 1986. Naomi was asked to come to help with the services, and six years later Steve and Naomi celebrated with their own commitment ceremony Aug. 4, 1992. After a very active and wonderful life in D.C., Steve and Naomi moved full-time to Maine in 2005. Steve found a new career with Evergreen Home Performance, and loved learning a career in energy auditing and environmental construction. He remained with Evergreen as a consultant after his illness. Steve loved and was dedicated to the following: his wife Naomi, family, friends, Scottish Deerhounds, Celtic festivals, his myriad machines, Blues Night at the Time Out Pub, the Volvo Club of America (he was one of seven original founding members in 1982), O-gauge model trains, cooking and entertaining, the outdoors, vegetable gardening, computers, building and constructing, energy efficiency and all things "green," James Clavell novels, BMW motorcycles and Scotch single-malt whisky. He began the Robbie Burns Night tradition at the Craignair Inn at Clark Island every January, participated in the annual Polar Plunge on the beach, and organized the annual St. George Clark Island clean-up crew every May. He volunteered with his pet therapy dogs in the area at Pen Bay Hospital for 15 years, Rockland Library story time, various assisted living facilities and local schools in Knox County, as well as every year at the Maine Celtic Festival, Belfast Celtic Festival, Humane Society Whisker Walk, and the Thomaston 4th of July pet show. He was an active member of 350.Org, an environmental group, as well as supporting many local activities for supporting solar, wind and clean energy sources. Steve was a kind and caring man, passionate about so many things, and so many people. His enthusiasm was contagious, his knowledge extensive, and his desire to help everyone around him — whether they needed it or not — were some of the things that made Steve special to so many people. He was calm and discerning, did not brook incompetence or poor manners, and remained The Commander to the end, making courageous decisions about the end of his life and supporting all of us who loved him so much to help him to fulfill that completion. A quote from his son Dana at his deck-side celebration says it all: “I think he would tell us how much fun he had. Maybe tell us how important love and kindness are in life and how to smile back at negative people. I think he would say don’t wait to reach out to someone you wronged or lost touch with, and cherish everyone you have in your life. Those personal relationships are what fill your life with endless renewable happiness.” Here’s to you, Steve Seekins, who closed the chapter of your book surrounded by your family holding your hands, in the home you loved, your beloved dogs quietly watching. We will miss you.