William “Bill” Dopheide died on October 8, 2021 in his home after a period of decline with his loving wife Jane by his side.

Bill grew up in Edison Park Chicago with his brother, Richard; his parents and grandparents and other relatives nearby. He and his brother enjoyed playing with friends in vacant lots until called home when the streetlights went out. They also spent many hours with an electric freight train and track that their father had built-beginning Bill’s life long interest in trains.

Another interest for much of his life was music. Fifth grade trombone lessons lead to many hours playing in a dance band in high school and later in the Army Band Core.

His early academic interest was in journalism. At a young age, he and a friend wrote and delivered a neighborhood newsletter highlighting local happenings. He later wrote for school newsletters. Not having enough money to attend college after high school, Bill worked in a pinball factory, pickle factory and on a train from Chicago to Portland Oregon as a dishwasher. These jobs convinced him that he wanted a college education.

Bill enlisted in the army at 19 and earned a slot in the Army Band Core as a bandsman playing the trombone. He was immediately sent to Japan after basic training and played for military functions and concerts.

Returning home with the GI bill, he enrolled in Western Michigan College, in Kalamazoo, and became the first member of his family to go to college. He majored in “speech correction,” moving on to Penn State for his masters and then returned to teach at Western Michigan College for 10 years before earning his doctorate at Michigan State in1968. His specialties were stuttering and aphasia.

Bill and his wife Marjorie and three children Kate, Mark and Marcia moved to Maine in 1968 where Bill started the Speech and Hearing program at the University of Maine in Orono. He and colleagues continued to build the program over the next 25 years. He was active in State and National organizations throughout his career becoming a Fellow in the American Speech and Hearing Association in 1979. He retired from the university in 1993 professor emeritus. He has enjoyed continuing friendships with a number of former students and staff.

Bill married his wife Jane in 1975 and they lived in Winterport, Maine for 29 years where they raised their daughter, Annamarie. During those years, Bill was active in the Monroe Lions club helping to organize the “Marsh Stream Stampede” road race on Memorial Day for several years. He also enjoyed the camaraderie of weekly very low stakes poker games with neighborhood friends for over 20 years.

In 2008 they moved to Belfast, Maine. During their 46 years of marriage, they enjoyed many family gatherings at Kezar Lake, in California and Portland, Oregon. Recreation included model train building, skiing, camping adventures, gardening, and travels. Over the last 25 years, they have both been active members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast with Bill working passionately for social justice issues.

His wife Marjorie; his brother, Richard and grandson Bruce predeceased Bill. 

He is survived by his wife Jane; daughter Kate Dopheide and husband Steve of Portland Oregon; daughter Marcia Clark and husband Tim of Holden, Maine; daughter Annamarie Dopheide and husband Sean of Los Angeles, California; and son Mark and wife Lisa of Portland, Oregon; three grandchildren, TJ, Bryan and Jack; and three great grandchildren Miles, Drake and Mya;as well as nieces Gayle Urbanik and Kelly Dopheide of Kalamazoo, Michigan; and nephews Grant Dopheide of Hanover, Maryland and Chris Dopheide of Lawton, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Restorative Justice Project of Eastern Maine or Alzheimer’s research. 

Memories and condolences maybe shared at ripostafh.com.