Francis Desmond
Francis Desmond

Obituary of Francis Paul Desmond

Francis Paul Desmond, 84, of Madeira Beach, FL passed away on December 19, 2016 after a period of declining health. He was born on Aug. 31 1932 in Worcester, MA to Francis and Dorothy (Cass) Desmond. He attended schools throughout New England and graduated from Melrose High School in 1950 and Coburn Classical Institute, Waterville, ME in 1951. He spent summers as a child with family in Truro, MA. He proudly served in the USMC from1952-1955 where he was assigned to the USS Albany. In 1959 he graduated from the University of Maine, Orono. On April 16, 1955 he married Natalie Earley. They were happily married for 62 years. After college he worked for Aetna Casualty and Surety and this began a career that would span over four decades in the insurance industry. In 1968 he co-founded Desmond and Payne, Insurance which had offices in Falmouth, Bath and Gray. He served as president until his retirement in 1997. During those years he became very active in both the town of Falmouth and the insurance industry. In Falmouth he was active in Little League, Lions, Recreation Committee, and the Board of Zoning Appeals. His involvement in the Insurance Industry included involvement in the Independent Agents of Maine, President of the Professional Insurance Agents of New England, and served as a Director of National Association of Professional Insurance Agents and served on the board of Acord. He was also very active in alumni relations for The University of Maine and Kappa Sigma Fraternity serving on the alumni board for several years and attending reunions yearly up until this past summer. During these years Paul was able to travel and see much of the world. His travels took him throughout the US, London, Budapest, Germany, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and his favorite, Ireland. In retirement, Paul and his wife, Nan, moved to Madeira Beach, FL where Paul became involved in the board of Sea Towers, serving as Governor for several years. They continued to spend summers in Maine with family and enjoyed staying in touch with many special friends Throughout his life, Paul, made connections with people no matter where he went and remembered these people always. He had friends from his youth who he kept in touch with up until recently. He was a master of “small world” stories and was known to see people he knew wherever he went. He is survived by his wife, Nan and his four children and their spouses: Michael and Terry Desmond, Windham, ME, Kathi and Craig Nickerson, Portland, ME, Jenny and Ed Wojenski, Keene, NH and Susy Desmond and Stacey Kiely, Mansfield, MA. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Jon (wife, Kayla), Chris (wife, Miranda), and Matt (fiancé, Brittany), and Alexandra and Anna Wojenski and three great grandchildren, Jackson and Thomas Desmond and Nolan Desmond.
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We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Beacon Direct Cremation
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