Obituary of Thomas Pinkham

BAR HARBOR - Thomas "Lobo" Pinkham, age 60, passed away November 7th after a long battle with diabetes and heart disease. Tom was born at the Bar Harbor hospital on February 8th, 1954, the son of Alton E. and Nancy (Lambert) Pinkham. He grew up in Seal Harbor with his four brothers. He graduated from MDI High School in 1972 and shortly after that from Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Tom was a jack of all trades. When he was young he was a mechanic at DeRevere's garage and the Volunteer Fire Chief of Seal Harbor. He later became a policeman in Bar Harbor and Mount Desert, and was the first full time Harbormaster for Bar Harbor. He was also a caretaker and painter for the Rockefeller and Ford families. However, his favorite job of all was being a lobsterman. Whether he was working, going for a joy ride or taking his family out for a whale watch, he was never so happy as when he was on a boat. His biggest joy was his large extended family. He loved his wife, children, and grandchildren without reservation, but he also relished the company of his brothers, in-laws, nieces and nephews. He especially loved children and often made them smile with his impressions of Donald Duck. Lobo, as he was known around town, was a true people person and town character. In his later years he would sit down by the dock in the afternoon and talk with his buddies as they came in from fishing. At night he would sit on the bench on the corner of Cottage and Main Street talking with locals and tourists alike. Thomas is survived by his wife Patricia Kane Pinkham; his daughter Tracy Elizabeth; his sons Jeffery Thomas, Mark Joesph, Alton Lyman; daughter-in-law Lucy Williams; and grandchildren Emilynn Skye, Lyman Alton, Wilhelmina Elizabeth, and Waylon Kane Pinkham. All are residents of Bar Harbor. He is also survived by his four brothers, David Gray of Farmington, James Pinkham of Bar Harbor, Steve Pinkham of Seal Harbor, and Paul Pinkham of Thomaston; his uncle, David Lambert of South Carolina; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and many beloved aunts and uncles. A service will be held at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Bar Harbor, 12 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014.