CAMDEN — Jeffrey Colquhoun, 75, died from complications of Lewy Body Dementia on January 20, at his home in Camden, Maine. Jeff passed away in his bed overlooking his beloved Penobscot Bay with his wife, Micki, at his side.

Born in 1947 to Harvey and Janet (Gurge) Colquhoun, Jeff was raised on Staten Island. While growing up, Jeff took art classes at the Art Students League of New York and upon graduation from Curtis High School, he attended the Camberwell College of Arts in London.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Jeff made his way back to New York City, where he took a temporary back office job at Bank of Montreal, intending to return to London and resume his art career once he’d saved enough to do so. His temporary job turned into seventeen years in finance, with jobs at Garvin Guybutler, National Westminster, and Chemical Bank where Jeff ran the bank’s funding desk and started the bank’s loan syndicate function.

In 1988, he and Micki moved from Brooklyn Heights to Castine, Maine with their three young children. In Castine, Jeff restored their 1810 Federal house and rebuilt Senta, a 1937 Philip Rhodes cutter which he owned with his father-in-law, Frank Matthews. Jeff’s sailing career included surviving two on-board hurricanes. The first was Hurricane Bob in 1991, during which he and Micki were onboard Senta in Edgartown Harbor. The second hurricane occurred in November of 1992 while Jeff was crossing the Atlantic to the Azores on Voyager, an Alden schooner.

Once he finally settled down, Jeff resumed the art career he’d put on hold, focusing on representational marine oil paintings. His work was well received and is included in numerous corporate and private collections. Along the way, Jeff picked up a private pilot’s license and a Coast Guard 50-ton license. He also served on the Castine Select Board, becoming First Selectman and learning that local politics can be just as complicated as national politics. 

In 1999, after spending several winters in Venice, Italy, and summers sailing Penobscot Bay and the southern coast of Nova Scotia, Jeff and Micki moved across the Bay to Camden, Maine, where he served on the boards of the Camden Public Library, Camden’s Teen Center, and the Coastal Mountains Land Trust. Beginning in 2015, and up until the pandemic, Jeff and Micki spent winters in Rio Verde, Arizona, where he took up golf and, like most of us, failed to live up to his potential — but had a good time trying. 

In his last three years, Jeff dealt with the devastating effects of Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive neurologic disease, with grace and humor, and immense courage.

Jeff was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Judy.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Michaela Matthews Porter Colquhoun; his stepchildren, Courtney (Rick) Hutchinson of Lafayette, Colorado; Annie (Jason) Seyfried of Manchester, Maine; and Doug (Liz) Porter of Yarmouth, Maine; as well as his grandchildren, Sophie Martin, Mason Hutchinson, Ella Martin, Deacon Seyfried, Nell Porter, and Kathleen Porter.

He is also survived by his brother, Joseph Colquhoun (Onnie); his many sisters and brothers in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Camden Public Library, Coastal Mountains Land Trust, and The Landing Place (Knox County Homeless Coalition). Funeral plans will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home.