SOUTH PORTLAND - A. Vinton Lewis, 103, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, surrounded by family and friends.
Vinton was born in Lewiston, Maine, son of Arthur W. and Rossie E. (Sylvester) Lewis. He began working at the age of eight, selling magazines and newspapers door to door. At age 12, he worked at the local shoe store in Lewiston. As a teenager, he worked with his father, who ran a general contracting business. During high school he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Lewiston Branch. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1933 and attended Northeastern Business College, where he majored in accounting. While attending college he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Portland Branch, and taught night classes at the college.
After college Vinton went to work for the Portland Fish Company as their accountant. The mechanical experience he gained working for his father landed him additional duties as the shore engineer for their fishing boats and refrigeration plant. He was employed there for seven years.
From 1941-1943, he worked for the South Portland Shipyard owned by New England Ship Building. The shipyard built Liberty ships during World War II. Vinton got his Steam Engineer License and ran the shipyard's steam plant. When the shipyard closed, he was hired by A.H. Hudson/Marine Contractors, a Marine Construction Company. Eventually, Vinton bought the company and owned A.H. Hudson until his retirement in 1990, at the age of 75. He spent his career building and maintaining docks and boat lifts, driving pilings, laying underwater cable, and maintaining waterfront equipment from South Harpswell to Biddeford Pool.
Vinton was an active member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland for 83 years and was a Masonic member of Hiram Lodge No. 180 for over 75 years. For the past 15 years he participated in a weekly candlepin bowling league at the Big 20 in Scarborough, driving himself there every Tuesday. Vinton was a remarkable man who inspired all who knew him. He was admired for his ability to build or repair just about anything, and for the time he devoted to helping others. Vinton opened his home to three exchange students from 2003-2006. He was an avid Red Sox fan, and it's only fitting that they won the World Series in 1915, the year he was born, and were the reigning champions at the time of his passing. He enjoyed time spent with family and friends at his camp on Pequawket Lake.
Vinton was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Marion C. (Murphy) Lewis; his son, Keith S. Lewis, and his loving companion of 12 years, Alberta M. Mundee. He is survived by his son, Lincoln A. Lewis II and wife, Sally (Thompson) Lewis of Charleston, S.C.; daughter in-law, Nancy Lewis of Glen Burnie, Md.; grandchildren, Annie Lewis Beagan and husband, Bob of South Portland, Michele Floyd-Janicke of Texas, Dwayne Lewis and wife, Shara of Texas, Jennifer Lewis of Oregon, and Jeffrey Lewis and wife, Carrie, of South Carolina; nine great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters.
Vinton was born in Lewiston, Maine, son of Arthur W. and Rossie E. (Sylvester) Lewis. He began working at the age of eight, selling magazines and newspapers door to door. At age 12, he worked at the local shoe store in Lewiston. As a teenager, he worked with his father, who ran a general contracting business. During high school he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Lewiston Branch. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1933 and attended Northeastern Business College, where he majored in accounting. While attending college he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Portland Branch, and taught night classes at the college.
After college Vinton went to work for the Portland Fish Company as their accountant. The mechanical experience he gained working for his father landed him additional duties as the shore engineer for their fishing boats and refrigeration plant. He was employed there for seven years.
From 1941-1943, he worked for the South Portland Shipyard owned by New England Ship Building. The shipyard built Liberty ships during World War II. Vinton got his Steam Engineer License and ran the shipyard's steam plant. When the shipyard closed, he was hired by A.H. Hudson/Marine Contractors, a Marine Construction Company. Eventually, Vinton bought the company and owned A.H. Hudson until his retirement in 1990, at the age of 75. He spent his career building and maintaining docks and boat lifts, driving pilings, laying underwater cable, and maintaining waterfront equipment from South Harpswell to Biddeford Pool.
Vinton was an active member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland for 83 years and was a Masonic member of Hiram Lodge No. 180 for over 75 years. For the past 15 years he participated in a weekly candlepin bowling league at the Big 20 in Scarborough, driving himself there every Tuesday. Vinton was a remarkable man who inspired all who knew him. He was admired for his ability to build or repair just about anything, and for the time he devoted to helping others. Vinton opened his home to three exchange students from 2003-2006. He was an avid Red Sox fan, and it's only fitting that they won the World Series in 1915, the year he was born, and were the reigning champions at the time of his passing. He enjoyed time spent with family and friends at his camp on Pequawket Lake.
Vinton was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Marion C. (Murphy) Lewis; his son, Keith S. Lewis, and his loving companion of 12 years, Alberta M. Mundee. He is survived by his son, Lincoln A. Lewis II and wife, Sally (Thompson) Lewis of Charleston, S.C.; daughter in-law, Nancy Lewis of Glen Burnie, Md.; grandchildren, Annie Lewis Beagan and husband, Bob of South Portland, Michele Floyd-Janicke of Texas, Dwayne Lewis and wife, Shara of Texas, Jennifer Lewis of Oregon, and Jeffrey Lewis and wife, Carrie, of South Carolina; nine great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters.
SOUTH PORTLAND - A. Vinton Lewis, 103, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, surrounded by family and friends.
Vinton was born in Lewiston, Maine, son of Arthur W. and Rossie E. (Sylvester) Lewis. He began working at the age of eight, selling magazines and newspapers door to door. At age 12, he worked at the local shoe store in Lewiston. As a teenager, he worked with his father, who ran a general contracting business. During high school he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Lewiston Branch. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1933 and attended Northeastern Business College, where he majored in accounting. While attending college he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Portland Branch, and taught night classes at the college.
After college Vinton went to work for the Portland Fish Company as their accountant. The mechanical experience he gained working for his father landed him additional duties as the shore engineer for their fishing boats and refrigeration plant. He was employed there for seven years.
From 1941-1943, he worked for the South Portland Shipyard owned by New England Ship Building. The shipyard built Liberty ships during World War II. Vinton got his Steam Engineer License and ran the shipyard's steam plant. When the shipyard closed, he was hired by A.H. Hudson/Marine Contractors, a Marine Construction Company. Eventually, Vinton bought the company and owned A.H. Hudson until his retirement in 1990, at the age of 75. He spent his career building and maintaining docks and boat lifts, driving pilings, laying underwater cable, and maintaining waterfront equipment from South Harpswell to Biddeford Pool.
Vinton was an active member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland for 83 years and was a Masonic member of Hiram Lodge No. 180 for over 75 years. For the past 15 years he participated in a weekly candlepin bowling league at the Big 20 in Scarborough, driving himself there every Tuesday. Vinton was a remarkable man who inspired all who knew him. He was admired for his ability to build or repair just about anything, and for the time he devoted to helping others. Vinton opened his home to three exchange students from 2003-2006. He was an avid Red Sox fan, and it's only fitting that they won the World Series in 1915, the year he was born, and were the reigning champions at the time of his passing. He enjoyed time spent with family and friends at his camp on Pequawket Lake.
Vinton was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Marion C. (Murphy) Lewis; his son, Keith S. Lewis, and his loving companion of 12 years, Alberta M. Mundee. He is survived by his son, Lincoln A. Lewis II and wife, Sally (Thompson) Lewis of Charleston, S.C.; daughter in-law, Nancy Lewis of Glen Burnie, Md.; grandchildren, Annie Lewis Beagan and husband, Bob of South Portland, Michele Floyd-Janicke of Texas, Dwayne Lewis and wife, Shara of Texas, Jennifer Lewis of Oregon, and Jeffrey Lewis and wife, Carrie, of South Carolina; nine great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters.
Vinton was born in Lewiston, Maine, son of Arthur W. and Rossie E. (Sylvester) Lewis. He began working at the age of eight, selling magazines and newspapers door to door. At age 12, he worked at the local shoe store in Lewiston. As a teenager, he worked with his father, who ran a general contracting business. During high school he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Lewiston Branch. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1933 and attended Northeastern Business College, where he majored in accounting. While attending college he worked at Portland Morris Plan Bank, Portland Branch, and taught night classes at the college.
After college Vinton went to work for the Portland Fish Company as their accountant. The mechanical experience he gained working for his father landed him additional duties as the shore engineer for their fishing boats and refrigeration plant. He was employed there for seven years.
From 1941-1943, he worked for the South Portland Shipyard owned by New England Ship Building. The shipyard built Liberty ships during World War II. Vinton got his Steam Engineer License and ran the shipyard's steam plant. When the shipyard closed, he was hired by A.H. Hudson/Marine Contractors, a Marine Construction Company. Eventually, Vinton bought the company and owned A.H. Hudson until his retirement in 1990, at the age of 75. He spent his career building and maintaining docks and boat lifts, driving pilings, laying underwater cable, and maintaining waterfront equipment from South Harpswell to Biddeford Pool.
Vinton was an active member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland for 83 years and was a Masonic member of Hiram Lodge No. 180 for over 75 years. For the past 15 years he participated in a weekly candlepin bowling league at the Big 20 in Scarborough, driving himself there every Tuesday. Vinton was a remarkable man who inspired all who knew him. He was admired for his ability to build or repair just about anything, and for the time he devoted to helping others. Vinton opened his home to three exchange students from 2003-2006. He was an avid Red Sox fan, and it's only fitting that they won the World Series in 1915, the year he was born, and were the reigning champions at the time of his passing. He enjoyed time spent with family and friends at his camp on Pequawket Lake.
Vinton was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Marion C. (Murphy) Lewis; his son, Keith S. Lewis, and his loving companion of 12 years, Alberta M. Mundee. He is survived by his son, Lincoln A. Lewis II and wife, Sally (Thompson) Lewis of Charleston, S.C.; daughter in-law, Nancy Lewis of Glen Burnie, Md.; grandchildren, Annie Lewis Beagan and husband, Bob of South Portland, Michele Floyd-Janicke of Texas, Dwayne Lewis and wife, Shara of Texas, Jennifer Lewis of Oregon, and Jeffrey Lewis and wife, Carrie, of South Carolina; nine great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters.
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