David C. Hastings, obituary

Thu, 08/08/2019 - 10:30am

TENANTS HARBOR – David C. Hastings, 81, died at his home July 24, 2019, following a brief period of declining health.

Born in Patterson, New Jersey, February 5, 1938, he was the son of Donald and Bessie (Elizabeth) Muzzy Hastings. He attended schools in New Jersey and New York and was a 1957 graduate of Suffern High School. In 1959, he graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. After being drafted into the military, David served in a medical research laboratory in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

On July 5, 1964, he married his childhood sweetheart, Joan Halbohm, who he first met while in the 5th grade.

He held multiple public offices, including serving as a Selectman with the towns of Suffern and Tenants Harbor.

David developed an interest in finance and the stock market at a very young age, that continued throughout his life. He owned and operated Hastings Photographic Illustrations.

In 1972, he decided to move his young family to Maine, a place he had connected with as a child and teenager, when he visited the family farm, Indian Hill Farm in Greenville with his parents. He loved spending summers
on that farm and would do any chore as long as it involved driving a vehicle, be it a farm truck or tractor. David later purchased and ran Eastern Illustration and Publishing, taking a failing business and turning it into a successful one.

Together, David and Joan purchased several older buildings around St. George, which they restored and sold. One of these was the Town House Restaurant, a successful business and unofficial meeting place for locals. David was truly a ‘Jack-Of-All-Trades,’ which was what he really wanted to do after moving to Maine.

In later years, he revamped his photography business and changed with the times to practice as a digital artist. David and Joan opened a gallery at their home on Watts Avenue in 2009, and has shown his artwork in other local galleries.

David’s greatest accomplishment was spending time with his grandchildren. At the age of 66, Gibby, (as David was known to his family) with his grandson Austin, who was 6, climbed Mt. Katahdin, becoming the youngest and the oldest to make that climb together. David encouraged his grandchildren to follow their dreams, and was proud of them all. Danielle, his only granddaughter, enjoyed coming to Maine and spending time with her grandfather. David enjoyed listening to his grandson Kyle talk about his passion for basketball. Dalton is following in his footsteps with photography. David enjoyed talking to Austin about lobstering, and trading stories of their adventures. Nate’s natural mathematical aptitude, encouraged Gibby to teach him as much as he could about the stock market, mentoring Nate as he was mentored in his youth.

A quote that David sometimes shared with his family, speaks of his concern for others. “What did you do today for the greater good of humanity?”

Other than his parents, David was predeceased by his beloved wife, Joan, in 2010, and a sister, Nancy Hastings Kuiken.

He is survived by one son, David R. Hastings, and his companion Linda of New Bedford, MA; one daughter, Nancy M. Iliffe and her husband Bill of Tenants Harbor; five grandchildren, Danielle Hastings, Kyle Hastings, and Dalton Hastings, all of New Bedford, MA, Austin Jurkowski and Nathan Iliffe of Tenants Harbor.

Private arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pope Memorial Humane Society in Thomaston, Maine.

To share a memory or story with David’s family, visit their online Book of Memories, at www.bchfh.com.