David Ritchie Billings of Seal Harbor passed away in the early morning of Friday March 31, 2017 peacefully at home with family. Born July 26, 1929 in Mount Desert he was the son of the late John Theodore Billings and Evelyn Billings (Ritchie).
David was raised in Seal Harbor where following the drowning death of his father in 1935 he helped support his mother and three siblings. He was predeceased by sister Marie E Walch, brothers Richard W and Frederick A Billings.
David worked in various positions and on the carriage roads in Seal Harbor for John D Rockefeller and helped fight the island fire of 1947. He enlisted in the Air Force in Bangor on December 7 1950 where he was a senior electrician during the Korean conflict and had many fond memories and slides of being stationed in Labrador. He was honorably discharged on July 17, 1954 and during his service received the National Defense Service medal and the Good Conduct medal. Following his discharge he attended the University of Maine, Orono, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and married his childhood friend and love of his life, Muriel Walls (Fernald) on June 3, 1956. After graduation, he held various jobs which took him to New Mexico and Virginia before settling in Farmington, CT as an Environmental Engineer for the Federal Highway Administration. David enjoyed many years of being an assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout troop 170 of Unionville CT where he loved going on all the camping and high adventure trips with the troop and made many friends. David retired in 1986 and moved back to his hometown of Seal Harbor in 2000. One of David’s dreams was to have a motor home, and he bought one after moving back to Seal Harbor to do some traveling with Muriel.
David often said family came first and family was everything to him. He enjoyed socializing and loved to make people laugh. David and Muriel spent a lot of time gardening and following the passing of his father in law Harry Fernald in 1985 they both carried on the legacy of Harry’s rose garden including bringing rose arrangements down to the Seal Harbor post office and various Seal Harbor residents. David was a do it yourselfer and always had to be busy doing something. He enjoyed tinkering with broken gadgets he procured trying to make them work again and got great satisfaction when he was successful.
David is survived by his wife Muriel of Seal Harbor, a son Timothy J and wife Joyce A of Southwest Harbor, a son Keith Walls and wife Patricia of Wrentham MA, beloved grandchildren James, Jessie and Joanna, six great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
It was David’s wish that no service be planned. The family would like to give a special and heartfelt thank you to the MDI nursing association in Northeast Harbor and Hancock County homecare’s hospice program for all of their help. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions may be made to the MDI Nursing Association 12 Summit Road, Northeast Harbor or the Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society PO box 171 Seal Harbor Maine 04675.
David was raised in Seal Harbor where following the drowning death of his father in 1935 he helped support his mother and three siblings. He was predeceased by sister Marie E Walch, brothers Richard W and Frederick A Billings.
David worked in various positions and on the carriage roads in Seal Harbor for John D Rockefeller and helped fight the island fire of 1947. He enlisted in the Air Force in Bangor on December 7 1950 where he was a senior electrician during the Korean conflict and had many fond memories and slides of being stationed in Labrador. He was honorably discharged on July 17, 1954 and during his service received the National Defense Service medal and the Good Conduct medal. Following his discharge he attended the University of Maine, Orono, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and married his childhood friend and love of his life, Muriel Walls (Fernald) on June 3, 1956. After graduation, he held various jobs which took him to New Mexico and Virginia before settling in Farmington, CT as an Environmental Engineer for the Federal Highway Administration. David enjoyed many years of being an assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout troop 170 of Unionville CT where he loved going on all the camping and high adventure trips with the troop and made many friends. David retired in 1986 and moved back to his hometown of Seal Harbor in 2000. One of David’s dreams was to have a motor home, and he bought one after moving back to Seal Harbor to do some traveling with Muriel.
David often said family came first and family was everything to him. He enjoyed socializing and loved to make people laugh. David and Muriel spent a lot of time gardening and following the passing of his father in law Harry Fernald in 1985 they both carried on the legacy of Harry’s rose garden including bringing rose arrangements down to the Seal Harbor post office and various Seal Harbor residents. David was a do it yourselfer and always had to be busy doing something. He enjoyed tinkering with broken gadgets he procured trying to make them work again and got great satisfaction when he was successful.
David is survived by his wife Muriel of Seal Harbor, a son Timothy J and wife Joyce A of Southwest Harbor, a son Keith Walls and wife Patricia of Wrentham MA, beloved grandchildren James, Jessie and Joanna, six great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
It was David’s wish that no service be planned. The family would like to give a special and heartfelt thank you to the MDI nursing association in Northeast Harbor and Hancock County homecare’s hospice program for all of their help. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions may be made to the MDI Nursing Association 12 Summit Road, Northeast Harbor or the Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society PO box 171 Seal Harbor Maine 04675.
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