Richard Fenn Seaman
July 4, 1933 – November 5, 2020

Richard Fenn Seaman of Bath, Maine passed away peacefully after a long and productive life. Born to William and Frances Fenn Seaman in Oberlin, Ohio on July 4, 1933, he was affectionately known as Bunk or Bunky. He attended public schools in Oberlin and earned his undergraduate degree in economics in 1955 from Oberlin College. He served in the United States Air Force after graduation, where he was stationed at Caribou Air Force Station in Maine. His career in higher education began at Oberlin College, where he served in a variety of increasingly responsible positions for more than a decade, including Director of Development. At the same time, he earned his master’s degree in education from Case Western Reserve University. Seaman went on to play major leadership roles in development and advancement for Brown University, Skidmore College, Bowdoin College and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College.)

Bunk was passionate about the importance of the twin pillars of education and service to the community, and he served to the best of his ability in both realms. He was intensely interested in people and their stories, and the opportunity to connect them and serve their needs, which was a common thread throughout his career. He was an active member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), serving on numerous national boards and task forces within the organization. He was honored as the CASE Professional of the Year in 1998, in recognition of his long service and impact on the advancement of higher education.

Seaman was just as passionate about his responsibility to making a better community. He served on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce in the Bath/Brunswick area, the Bath Area YMCA, and the Center for the Arts at the Chocolate Church in Bath, Maine. He was an active member of Rotary International for many years. He served on the Board of Directors for the Carroll County Family YMCA and Chamber Music on the Hill in Maryland. He also was a past president of Volunteers in Action and the Family Life Corporation in Rhode Island. 

While his professional life brought him from Ohio to Rhode Island to New York to Maryland, his true home was always Maine. He had summered on East Pond in Oakland since the 1950’s and returned to the state upon his retirement in 2002. He lived in Bath since 2005. He was a member of the Day’s Ferry Congregational Church, where he found a welcoming faith community.  His greatest joy was his family.

He leaves behind his wife of 65 years, Susan Curtis Seaman of Bath, Maine; sons William Curtis Seaman of Durham, North Carolina and his wife Maura Walsh- Seaman; Paul Metcalf Seaman of Ipswich, Massachusetts and his wife Christa Mahar Seaman; and son-in-law Matthew Dubuque of Grafton, Massachusetts.

He is predeceased by his daughter Sarah Seaman Dubuque of Grafton, Massachusetts and sister Shirley Seaman Lake of Madison, Wisconsin. 

He loved a corny pun, a lakeside sunset or boat cruise, and being “Pops” to his children and extended family of nieces and nephews and “Grampy” to his seven grandchildren, who were the pride of his life: Fenn Walsh-Seaman and Frieda Mae Walsh-Seaman of Durham, North Carolina; Paul Metcalf Seaman, Jr. and Catherine Frances Seaman of Ipswich, Massachusetts; and Kyle Frederick Dubuque, Joshua Curtis Dubuque and Justin William Dubuque of Grafton, Massachusetts.

Funeral arrangements are by Desmond Funeral Homes in Bath, Maine. He will be interred at Riverside Cemetery in Day’s Ferry. Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Day’s Ferry Congregational Church or a college scholarship fund.