CAMDEN — William Douglas Hall passed Monday, August 19, 2024 after a short battle with an intractable seizure, a symptom of a head injury that affected him for over fifty years. Born March 27, 1940, to Elizabeth Borden and E. Hamilton Hall, Doug and his sisters, Mary and Liz, grew up with downtown Camden, an extension of the front yard of "Red Chimneys" at the bottom of Central Street.

The Camden Herald was the family business for his father and grandfather before him across town. The kids enjoyed living and going to school in the small downtown community that Camden was back then. Doug went on to Hebron Academy for high school and decided to attend Tulane University in New Orleans, where his cousins lived. He embraced the southern culture and enjoyed his time and his studies there. 

After getting his journalism degree from Tulane, Doug returned home to sell advertising, take pictures and work in the darkroom at The Camden Herald. He enjoyed photojournalism and the art of photography, and in 1964, as a stringer for the UPI, he captured a picture of Robert F. Kennedy in Camden Harbor published in Newsweek. In 1966 Doug took over as editor of the newspaper, continuing the effort to bring in advertising revenue, increase circulation and expand the subscription base to the many summer residents and visitors. He also started modernizing the newspaper with new printing processes and installed computerized typesetting machines to replace the old Linotypes and traditional lead typesetting by hand. 

He was passionate about the role he and the paper had in the community and supporting its other printing needs from business cards to annual reports. In 1969 Doug published "Camden - Rockport's Bicentennial 1769-1969" and was chairman of the events and activities committee. 

Doug loved summers with his family on Megunticook Lake, playing records, swimming and water skiing with his friends – sometimes even dangling from a primitive hang glider towed behind the boat. An afternoon with friends and family, lobster, sweet corn or a barbecue by the lake were his favorites. Also an avid snow skier, winters saw him racing down the slopes at the Snow Bowl and Sugarloaf. 

While at Tulane, Doug enjoyed creating 16mm film clips as an extension of his stage acting activities at the school. Later the closing of the movie theater in Camden left a hole in the community that motivated him to start a winter film club, "Fabulous Flicks" at the Camden Opera House in the early 70's. He would put together a schedule of films he and others wanted to see again for each season no streaming, or even VHS back then. 

After recovering from a life altering car accident, in 1975 he took the plunge and opened the Bay View Street Cinema. For over 30 years he enjoyed choosing films, greeting patrons with a twinkle in his eye and bringing movies back to the community that meant so much to him. When a young man came and asked for his support in starting a "Camden International Film Festival" – he was all in and made space in his public show schedule for the festival every year. 

The Bay View Street Cinema closed in August of 2007 and Doug retired to enjoy time by the lake with his grandchildren and extended family. He loved nothing more than having a sunny summer afternoon get together and sharing the lake with family and friends. 

Doug faced his challenges with courage and grace. And he instilled those values in his children and grandchildren. He exemplified tenacity and perseverance – with an occasional dash of mischief. Doug was a gentle soul who shared his love through a wink of his twinkling eyes, a wry smile and his oh so familiar hand gesture, the O.K. sign. 

Doug was predeceased by his parents and his sister Mary Borden Hall Bok.

He is survived by his younger sister, Elizabeth A. Hall; his children, William Hamilton Hall, Hilary Hall Jessen, Douglas deKoven Hall; and his grandchildren, Duncan Hall, Fiona Hall, Ethan Allred, Colby Allred, Lily Jessen and Henry Hall, as well as both his former wives, Virginia Mitchell and Daphne Cummings. 

Doug's family would like to extend special thanks to Brenda Richardson and Barbara Knight, Doug's caregivers and companions who supported him in his last years. 

The family invites the community to join us for Visiting Hours at Long Funeral Home, 9 Mountain Street, Camden, on Monday, Sept. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Private burial will be held later. A Celebration of Life will be announced in the Spring of 2025.