Teacher Scholarships Awarded

Dr. Martin Berwick, 66, Class of 1967, South Casco

Paul F. Ferguson, 76, Class of 1954, South Portland

 
 
 

 


MIT Maine Club Awards Teacher Scholarships

The MIT Club of Maine has selected three Maine High School teachers as the recipients of the Club's annual scholarships to attend the Science and Engineering Program for Teachers to be heald at MIT from June 22 to June 28.

The scholarship winners are:
Prakash Manju, Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone,
Heather Merrill, Messalonskee High School, Oakland, Maine and
Russell Taylor, Bonny Eagle High School in South Standish, Maine

Congratulations to the scholarship winners. We are delighted to have them representing Maine at MIT's exciting annual event for science teachers.



Dr. Martin A.Berwick, 66, MIT Class of 1967

CASCO -- Dr. Martin A. Berwick, 66, died peacefully on March 30, 2008, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
     He was born Jan. 2, 1942, in Medford, Mass., the son of Alfred and Jacqueline Berwick. Martin graduated from Harvard College in 1964 and obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry from M.I.T. three years later. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio and spent a very full and rewarding career as a chemist and later a vice-president of Eastman Kodak in Rochester, N.Y., before retiring in 1999.
     Prior to retirement he supported his community by leading many Boy Scout activities and coaching numerous soccer teams. He and his wife Kathy realized their dream of living on a lake in Maine when they moved to South Casco following his retirement. There he delved further into his passion for gardening and enjoyed time with his children and grandchildren. Hardly a man to rest easy in retirement, Martin became a Master Gardener, served as president of his garden club, volunteered at Camp Sunshine and continued to grow far more vegetables than friends and family could ever hope to consume. He will be remembered as a man with a generous nature, a heart of gold, a fun loving spirit and a willingness to help wherever needed.
     He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Kathleen Neville Berwick, in January of 2003. Martin is survived by his devoted and caring sons, Neal Berwick of Casco and Daniel and his wife Darcy and their two children, Abigail and Griffin of Ypsilanti, Mich. Left to cherish Martin's memory are his parents, Jacqueline and Alfred Berwick of Bedford, Mass.; a sister and her husband, Sandra and Robert Crowley of McLean, Va., and a brother and his wife, Christopher and Marilyn Berwick of Crestwood, Ky. Martin is also survived by his mother-in-law, Helen Neville and two brothers-in-law and their wives, Paul and Hannah Neville and Peter and Noreen Neville. Martin also leaves many loving nephews and nieces, Brendan, Brett, Colleen, Georgia Grace, Jacqueline, Jennifer, Kara, Katherine, Kevin and Zachary.
     The family will receive guests at Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Rd., Casco, on Thursday, April 3, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Martin will be buried with his wife at Saint Bernard's Cemetery in Concord, Mass., Friday, April 4, 2008, at 11 a.m.
    Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to:
    The Songo Garden Club of Naples
    Care of Pat Blake
     28 Powhatan Rd.
     Otisfield, Maine 04270
Published in the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on 4/2/2008.


Paul F. Ferguson, 76, MIT Class of 1954

SOUTH PORTLAND -- Paul F. Ferguson, 76, of Bay Road, South Portland, died Tuesday, April 1, 2008, from complications of Multiple Myeloma at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough.
     Paul was born in 1932 in Lexington, Mass., the son of Roy A. and Eva M. (Gnirke) Ferguson. He was educated in the Lexington Schools and graduated from Lexington High School in 1949. He received a Civil Engineering degree from Tufts University and attended MIT with the United States Air Force to study meteorology. He also was a past president of the Tufts Alumni Association of Maine, an active member of the MIT Club of Maine and was a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society. Paul was co-captain of the New England Champion Tufts Lacrosse team and was an All American in 1953.
     Paul and his wife Edchen were married at Tufts University in 1955 and began their 53 year life together in Belleville, Ill. They raised three children and they especially enjoyed spending time with their 11 grandchildren who all lived within an hour of their home. Paul's favorite times were spent attending sporting events, concerts, and plays to watch his grandchildren. He was kind and generous and truly loved the company of others. Paul would always light up a room with his jokes and wit and gladly gave his time and talents to his family and the community.
     Before retiring to South Portland, Paul and Edchen lived for 32 years in Wayne, N.J., where Paul served on the local School Board for five years. He was a member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland where he was a past president of the Eskimo Men's Club, sang in the choir for many years and participated in many projects in the church including building hymnal holders for the wooden pews and storage racks for the altar cloths in the sacristy.
     Paul was a longtime summer resident of Long Island, and had served as the Harbor Master and a Planning Board member for the Town of Long Island. He was an avid horseshoe player and won many tournaments on the island. The Fourth of July parade will never be the same without his creative decoration of the family Corvair. Paul spent five years in the service of his country as a weather forecaster for the United States Air Force. e spent 33 years in the Oil Industry, building, operating, and managing oil terminals. He retired as a Vice President for Castle Oil Co. in 1993.
     He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Joyce M. Ferguson. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Edchen Ferguson of South Portland; a son, Paul F. Ferguson Jr. and his wife Amy of North Andover, Mass., two daughters, Linda F. McCann and her husband Dennis of Winslow, Robin F. Reinhold of South Portland; two brothers, Robert W. Ferguson and Roy A. Ferguson, two sisters, Virginia H. Ean and Carol J. Colcord; and 11 grandchildren, Ben, Becca, Will, Owen, Chrissy, Sarah, Jamie, Greg, Molly, Abby and Mike.
     Visiting hours will be held from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2008, at the Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the First Congregational Church, 301 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Interment will be at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery at a later date.
    In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:
    Paul F. Ferguson Scholarship Fund
    Attn.: Jeanne Crocker
    South Portland High School
    637 Highland Ave.
    South Portland, Maine 04106
    
Published in the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on 4/3/2008.