BELFAST — Longtime Belfast businessman James Marshal Wentworth, 85, passed away on Monday, October 29, at his home in Belfast overlooking Penobscot Bay.

Born in 1933, Jim was the youngest son of L.L. and Zenaide Wentworth of Knox, Maine. Jim graduated from Morse High School in 1951 and continued his education at the University of Maine in Orono.

He graduated in 1955 with a degree in electrical engineering and wanting to see the world, went to work for the federal Rural Electrification Administration in Washington, D.C. He was assigned to the southwest where he was involved in expanding and improving electrical services to rural communities in West Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. While in Abilene Texas, he met newspaper journalist Janet Sue Moore and they were married in 1960.

They settled in Lubbock, Texas, where Jim was a partner in Colwell, Wentworth & Associates designing electrical utility projects throughout the southwest. Both daughters, Susan and Julie, were born in Lubbock. In 1968, Jim had the opportunity start his own design and contracting company and the family relocated to Belfast, where he established WenRock, Inc. electrical contracting and James M. Wentworth P.E., Consulting Engineer. He spent over 40 years working as an electrical engineer and electrical contractor in mid-coast Maine. His work ranged from designing power installations for island electrical co-ops to performing the electrical contracting work for the MBNA complexes in Belfast and Camden. Jim and Janet purchased a house in Casa Grande, Arizona in 2000 and eventually fully retired, spending summers in Maine and winters in Arizona.

Jim was involved with his community by serving on the Belfast Planning Board, MSAD #34 School Board and the Waldo County Vocational School Board. He was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, and held engineering licenses in Maine, Arizona, Texas and Vermont. He was a long time member of the Northport Golf Club.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Janet Sue Moore Wentworth, in 2015. He is survived by daughters Susan Simonson of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Julie Wentworth of Corrales, New Mexico; granddaughters Kate and Lila Armijo of Corrales, New Mexico; grandsons Andrew Simonson of Mebane, North Carolina, and Brendan Simonson of New York, New York; sons-in-law Patrick Simonson and Michael Armijo. He is also survived by brothers Basil Wentworth of Knox, Lloyd Wentworth of Belfast and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial gathering will take place on Sunday, November 18th from 1pm to 3pm at Portside Manor, 35 West Ocean Drive, Searsport, Maine. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Juniors Golf Program at the Northport Golf Club, P.O. Box 187, Belfast, ME 04915

Arrangements are under the care of Riposta Funeral Home Belfast, ME. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.ripostafh.com