CAMDEN — Mel Patrick Foley, 91, died March 8, 2017, at the Maine Veterans' Home in Augusta.

He leaves his daughters, Lisa Foley-Pellicani (Jeffrey) of Hillsborough, N.C., and Christine Foley (Paul Sperduto) of South Orange, N.J.; his grandsons, Max Pellicani, and Jack and Silas Sperduto; his brothers, Conal Foley (Luisa) of Winthrop, Mass., and Evin Foley (Anne) of Quincy, Mass.; his niece, Kerry Hadley (Craig); his nephew, Roger Tranfaglia of Owls Head; and many nieces and nephews, and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Daniel and Elizabeth Cecilia (VerKampen) Foley; his brothers, David, Robert, Roger, Padraic and Donal; and his sisters, Martha Foley and Maura Tranfaglia.

Born and raised in Winthrop, Mass., the eighth of 10 children, Mel was a resident of the Camden-Rockport area from 1967 until his recent move to the Veterans' Home in Augusta. As a youth, Mel explored the Winthrop area with his siblings, sailing among the Boston Harbor islands, collecting old Christmas trees for bonfires (stealing the trees of rival groups) and playing pranks. He graduated from Winthrop High School in 1943, enlisted in the Army Air Corps, completed basic training in Greensboro, N.C., and was stationed on Guam, where he repaired planes, and owned a laundry business.

After being honorably discharged in March of 1946 at the rank of corporal, he enrolled at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he attended from 1947 to 1951. Next, Mel moved to Connecticut and when he wasn't working, he was sailing and racing Star boats on Long Island Sound, out of Milford Yacht Club. His daughters recall growing up with silver trophies all over the house, even as toothbrush holders.

In 1967, the family moved to Camden, where they updated an 1860s farmhouse. He held jobs at the Apollo Tannery, Camden Hills Realty, which he started with Pete Phelps, and teaching defensive driving, until he became certified as an assessor in the 1970s. His first job as a tax assessor was in Eastport, the easternmost town in the U.S., and he commuted home on weekends. He then worked for the Town of Camden for many years, before finishing his career at the Town of Rockport. He was known for his sweet tooth (the Harbor Road neighbor kids called him Cookie Monster), driving a Saab, his "Mel-apropisms," puns and eccentric sense of humor, and his love of history and clocks.

Upon retiring, he drove part-time for Mid-Coast Limo. He became a favorite of several celebrity clients, with one nicknaming him "Mel Gibson." He was a regular at Fitzpatrick's, and the Rockport Diner, always ordering an "Irish" muffin when meeting up with his coffee group. His other retirement pastime was restoring and repairing clocks. At one count, he had 13 clocks, which he had synchronized to strike at once upon the hour. He was a member from the earliest days of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, and participated in one of the restorations of the clock in the Chestnut Street Baptist Church clock tower.

The family wishes to thank all the nurses, caregivers and staff at the Maine Veterans' Home and Maine Hospice.

A memorial service will be held Monday, July 10, at 1 p.m. at Long Funeral Home, 9 Mountain St. in Camden, with the Rev. Dr. Susan Stonestreet officiating.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Maine Veterans' Home, Activity Fund, 310 Cony Road, Augusta, ME 04330, to support the therapy dog program and the staff cat.