LINCOLNVILLE — Wallace Edward O'Brien, 77, passed away peacefully on Jan. 29, 2017, surrounded by friends and family at his home in Lincolnville. Literally holding him in their arms in his last hours were his sons, Bill, Ed and Andy, their wives, Lindsay, Tracee and Hanji, his grandchildren, Rose, Zoe, Lucy, Maggie, Andy and Jack, his nephews, John Horne and Steve O'Brien, his cousin, Steve Case, and, as always, his wife, Diane.

Waiting with him from miles away were his sisters, Pat Shaw, Edwena Otto and Shirley Harrington; his grandchildren, Julian, Phoe, Romi and Gabe; his sisters-in-law, Marilie O'Brien, Lynne Battle and Maggie Frazier; and all the nieces and nephews, friends, neighbors and former students who loved him too.

Wally, the son of Mabel Keefe and Wallace Case, grew up in Augusta within sight of the capitol building. When his stepfather became ill while he was in high school, Wally ended up working 35 hours a week at the A&P supermarket making $1.10 an hour to support the family.

Upon barely graduating from high school, Wally found his escape from poverty by joining the military like many young men of his generation. He first entered the Navy Reserves at age 16, and then the Air Force at 17.

Four years of service, including a year in Korea, taught him what he didn't want to be, and the GI Bill allowed him to become what he needed to be — a teacher.

As a teaching principal, in Lincolnville and Castine, he never forgot where he came from. He believed passionately in the mission of public education and teaching children to think critically about the world around them. He was always most moved by young adolescents who grew up as he did, the ones whom other teachers found to be "discipline problems."

He married his loving wife, Diane, in 1970, though they couldn't have been more different — a privileged girl from the Midwest and a poor small-town boy from Maine.

It was a turbulent courtship at first. In the late '60s, as the war in Vietnam raged, Diane's sympathy was with the protesters, but Wally empathized with the soldiers, young men who grew up like him. They worked it out, often over a gallon of hearty Burgundy, and bought a ramshackle old farm in Lincolnville where they raised animals and three boys.

After retiring from teaching in 1999, Wally continued to advocate for disadvantaged people, tutoring and mentoring young men involved in the criminal justice system. He became an active participant in the peace movement, marched on Washington during the Iraq War and would often drive fellow veterans up to Togus for medical treatment.

He wove beautiful rag rugs and could be found often holding court with numerous visitors at his loom, caning a chair in the barn door, weeding the garden, cursing his chainsaw in the front yard, or on the back deck with his pipe and a glass of wine.

Friends, former students and family loved Wally for his innate ability to listen to their problems and dispense his sage advice or curmudgeonly wit.

He loved hunting, fishing, foraging for wild mushrooms and scavenging discount stores with his beloved daughter-in-law.

Wally's final outing was to his hometown, to a protest march, wearing a pink hat knitted by Diane. He loved living in a small town where he could know and appreciate people for who they are in all of their various roles, regardless of differences of opinion. Wally held a fondness for people and stories. He taught us to learn each other's stories, be kind to our neighbors, and always treat one another with fairness and respect.

If you would like to make a contribution in Wally's name, send it to the American Civil Liberties Union.