James Renwick McGaffin

    McGaffin, James R., 86, July 12, 2011.  Arrangements by Dennett, Craig & Pate, Saco.  Interment to be held in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Dexter.
    SACO – James Renwick McGaffin, 86, passed away Tuesday, July 12, 2011, surrounded by his loving family at Gosnell Hospice House. He was born Sept. 28, 1924, in Saskatchewan, son of James Renwick and Nellie Matthews McGaffin. The family moved to Houlton in 1927. James and Nelly McGaffin were originally from Northern Ireland.
    James attended Houlton High School and left to serve in the U.S. Army. During World War II, he served in Italy in the 34th Infantry Division, and received two Purple Hearts, Bronze Star and other citations.
    After the war, he returned to the states, finished high school and then attended Maine Central Institute. Upon completion of MCI, James attended Springfield College and graduated with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.
    Returning to Maine, he first taught in Dexter, where he also coached three sports. After Dexter, James began working for Thornton Academy in 1956. At Thornton, he was a teacher, head baseball coach, assistant football and head basketball coach. He coached basketball for more than 15 years from 1956 until 1970.
    At a school with a reputation for football, he was instrumental in putting basketball on the map. Five of his first six years, they made the playoffs and nine out of the next 13. He also served as athletic director, head of Building and Grounds, and submaster, retiring in 1983. He was honored in the second class of Thornton Academy Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted in October 2007.
    James enjoyed golf and was a member of Dexter Municipal Golf Course and Biddeford Saco Country Club.
    In retirement, he and his wife wintered in Florida where he was recently made a member of the Hall of Fame of Indian River Shuffleboard League. Summers were spent in Dexter on Lake Wassookeag, where he loved having his children and grandchildren visit.
    In addition to his parents, James was predeceased by brothers Robert and Sidney.
    Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Marilyn Cross McGaffin of Saco; a son, Donald McGaffin and his wife, Cathleen, of South Portland; three daughters, Nancy Bolduc and her husband, Buddy, of Saco, Susan Graham and her husband, David, of Jaffrey, N.H., and Kathleen Martin and her husband, Dennis, of Casco; two brothers, William McGaffin of West Haven, Conn., and David McGaffin of Pittsfield; two sisters, Sarah Stanton of Sandy, Utah, and Bonnie Baker of Tiverton, R.I.; eight grandchildren, Kyle and his wife, Angela, Jenna and her husband, Jake, Brad and his wife, Dana, Haley and her husband, Kevin, Meredith, Courtney, Kimberly and Timothy; and six great-grandchildren, Troy, Dylan, Coralyn, Brooklyn, Brady and Lydia.
    A family graveside service with military honors will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 23, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Dexter. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be forwarded to Thornton Academy Athletic Fund, 438 Main St., Saco, ME 04072. Arrangements are being coordinated by Dennett, Craig & Pate, 365 Main St., Saco.