KINGFIELD – Gardner Gerard Defoe, 83, passed away on Jan. 25, 2019 from complications associated with septic shock.
He was born on Feb. 7, 1935, the son of Dr. Garfield Gerard Defoe and Constance Defoe of Dixfield.
Gardner attended Dirigo High School, Hebron Academy, Dartmouth College, and the University of Vermont. He taught at the Greenwich Country Day School in Greenwich, Connecticut before establishing Sugarloafers Ski Camp in Kingfield. Soon thereafter, he started his summer camp, Birch Island Camp, later known as Wilderness Waterways.
Through these camps, Gardner was instrumental in the education and growth of young people from 1959 until he retired from directing camps in the late 1990’s. During his career as a camp director, countless numbers of young people learned how to ski in the winter and canoe, fly fish, and live in the wilderness during the summer. Gardner was an educator at heart and his principal classrooms were the river and the wilderness.
Gardner became a Maine guide in the 1960’s and, in 2012, he received the Legendary Maine Guide Award from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. In 2016, he was the subject of a documentary entitled “Defoe’s Way”, an LL Bean film, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Gardner is survived by two sons, Darren and Derek; his granddaughter, Brianna Defoe; his sister and brother in-law, Deborah and Fred Townsend; his brother in-law, James Danala; his sister in-law, Esha Dakavana; his nieces and nephews, Beth, Chad, James, Ed, Debbie, Jon, and Nate; his devoted life partner, Patty Bessey, and her children, Tom Bessey and partner Monica, Craig Bessey and wife Sarah, and their children, Faith, Craig, Xander, Beverly, and Eleanor; and the thousands of young people who attended his camps over the years.
He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Leola Daker Defoe; and his sister, Druscilla Danala.
A memorial gathering will be held in the King Pine Room, Sugarloaf USA, on May 26, 2019, at 1 p.m. All are welcome to attend to celebrate Gardner’s life.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington, ME 04938.
Thinking of you, Patty, every day and your beautiful time together with that awesome man!. Wished we hadn’t postponed going on one of those “maybe this year” canoe trips. Milt has some great memories about times way before my time. Gardner lived a spectacular life and left a legendary legacy. You’re a lucky woman.
Im so sorry to hear of you loss Derek, Patty and family. My deepest condolences to the family and loved ones.
I loved waiting on Gardner when I worked at Howard’s Rexall Drug many moons ago. He was very kind. I pray it will be of comfort in some small way for his family to know that others care and share in their sorrow.
Marla Ann Dubay
A truly great educator, lover of the outdoors, generous and giving … Gardner was a person to remember, for sure. I had the privilege of meeting him in the early 90’s as part of his work in the AWW, and much later at a screening of his film. He will be missed, but not forgotten ~
My sincerest condolences to the Defoe family.
A part of what made Sugarloaf what it was in the late 60’s and early seventies. Gardiner was instrumental in making our area what it is today. Rest in peace my old friend. You have left us but will not be forgotten
Well lived Gardner!