Obituary of David A. McPheters

LINCOLNVILLE — David "Leaky Boot" McPheters, 80, husband of Sheila Jauron McPheters, died May 21, 2015, of lung cancer, at Sussman House in Rockport. Born in Millinocket on Aug. 3, 1934, he was the son of Arnold and Dorothy (Gates) McPheters. He grew up in Rockport, graduating from Rockport High School in 1953. He then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked in ordnance until he was honorably discharged at the end of his three-year tour of duty. From early childhood, David spent countless hours fishing, hunting, and observing the woods and waters around him. This background influenced his choice of occupations over the years — Red Cross-certified swimming and water safety instructor, caretaker, commercial fisherman, forest manager and registered Maine Guide — and, combined with his native intelligence and a philosophical bent, destined him to become a walking, and talking, encyclopedia of the natural world and local lore. For a good part of each year, he went "to camp," a one-room log cabin on First Lake Machias in Washington County. There he was free to live by his own rules and devices, working in the woods, fishing and canoeing, while escaping civilization and people he didn't like, a category that included anyone he considered phony or pretentious and some who just rubbed him the wrong way. Nevertheless, he had many friends who admired his ability to cast off the world and not just survive but thrive in the wilderness; friends who appreciated his insights and self-deprecating humor. He was a born wit and raconteur, always eager to share the thoughts he had formulated during his months of solitude and the stories that arose from a lifetime of adventures. Facebook posts that appeared after news of his passing called him a character, a dear friend, a gem of an individual and one of a kind. In addition to his wife, Sheila; he is survived by his sister, Ellen and her husband, Yossarian, of Strafford, N.H.; Sheila's brother, Kenneth Jauron; and several cousins.