Obituary of James Edward Davitt

Hampden--Jim Davitt died peacefully in the company of his family May 1, 2019. He was born June 28, 1942, to Edward and Hazel Davitt in Appleton, WI where he spent his childhood. His adolescence was spent in Chicago.  He graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law School in Washington, DC.
 

He served as a Captain in the US Army in Vietnam, for which he received the Bronze Star. On his return in 1970, he practiced law in the firm Fitzgerald and Davitt in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia.  When his family relocated to Maine in 1990, so that Dr. Mary Kate Davitt could create a state-of-the-art hospital unit at EMMC for neonatal patients and their parents, Jim was admitted to the Maine Bar. The Davitt’s purchased a farm on the Hudson Road in Bangor, where they were living when Mary Kate passed away in 1997.

In 1994 Jim accepted a faculty position in the Justice Studies program at UMA-Bangor.   A former amateur actor, his lectures were very popular. He was an active member of the Faculty Senate and a generous and available advisor to students. He retired as a tenured professor.

In 2002, Jim married his colleague and friend Mary Louis.  Jim spent a great deal of time and energy renovating the Hudson Road home and, together with Mary Louis, opened Bangor’s first Bed and Breakfast, Nonesuch Farm B&B.

He was an indefatigable community activist as a member of: the Board of Visitors of Mountain View Correctional Center, his parish councils (Holy Trinity Church, Washington DC and St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bangor), Maine People’s Alliance, and Maine Education Association.  He was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2014 where he served on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committees and was chosen as legislative representative to the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. He served on the Hampden Planning Board and was a member of the Hampden Historical Society.

He was pre-deceased by daughter Maura Davitt, and wife Dr. Mary Kate Davitt. Jim is survived by daughter Clare Davitt of Bangor; son Brian Davitt of Worcester, MA; wife Mary Louis Davitt of Hampden; step-children Catherine Reed of Bangor, and Travers Kurr of New Orleans; sisters Margaret Davitt of  Racine, WI and Kathleen Koch of Lebanon, OR.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to: EMMC-NICU, c/o Northern Light Health Foundation, PO Box 931, Bangor ME 04402 or the ACLU of Maine, 121 Middle St., Suite 200, Portland, ME  04101.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 2 PM, Friday, May 17, 2019, at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 768 Ohio St., Bangor.  Burial will immediately follow at Mt. Pleasant Catholic Cemetery, Bangor.  All are invited to a reception beginning at 4:30 PM that day at the Sea Dog Restaurant in Bangor.  Messages and memories may be shared with his family at kileyandfoley.com

Arrangements by Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 299 Union St., Bangor.