Andrew Compton "Andy" Holmes, 89, of Southport died July 1, 2023 at Lincoln Health Miles Campus in Damariscotta.

Andy was born Nov. 4, 1933 in Middletown, Connecticut to G. Britton Holmes and Marian S. (Compton) Holmes. Andy graduated from The Albany Academy in 1951, Wesleyan University with a B.A. in chemistry in 1955, and from the University of Pennsylvania with an M.S. in 1958. Andy and his father owned and operated Camp Ettowah for boys in Fryeburg for many years. Andy’s work at the camp gave him the most valuable educational opportunity, and spawned a desire for working with youngsters.

Andy devoted the first 35 years of his working life to educating young people.

Andy began his career as a teacher of chemistry and physics and Faculty Supervisor of Plant from 1955 to 1958 at the Episcopal Academy in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. He worked from 1958 to 1961 at North Yarmouth Academy as assistant headmaster, Belvidere School in Chelmsford, Massachusetts from 1961 to 1966 as headmaster. He followed his love of music, and worked as the Executive Vice President for the Portland Symphony Orchestra in Portland, Maine from 1966 to 1968.

He re-entered the education field as headmaster of the Oak Grove School in Vassalboro, Maine from 1968 to 1973, where he was instrumental in the merger of Coburn Classical Institute of Waterville and Oak Grove to form the Oak Grove-Coburn School. He was later headmaster of Berwick Academy in South Berwick, Maine from 1973 to 1982.

Andy had a lifetime love of music. He was an accomplished singer with a resonant tenor voice. He sang in a choir all of his life and was only absent from the back row of the choir loft of the Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church, where he was a member for 47 years, when he was traveling or cruising. He was a member of a barber shop quartet named the ISANNETONES, made up Headmasters of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England.

Andy's hobbies included pipe organ building and playing, construction of any kind, model trains, and boating.A true Mainer, he was an avid Red Sox fan and Yankee hater. During his school years he got bitten by the travel bug and in 1965 he founded Saco Valley Travel in Fryeburg and North Conway, New Hampshire as a hobby. After Saco Valley came Academy Travel then Harbor Travel in Boothbay Harbor, and since 1999 Worldwide Cruise Headquarters. Andy was a past president and director emeritus of Maine ASTA - American Society of Travel Advisors and a Master Cruise Counselor with CLIA - Cruise Line Industry Association. Andy worked in the travel industry for over 56 years.

He held a U.S. Coast Guard Ship Masters’ License and also operated a six passenger charter sailing yacht with his wife Louise, also a Ships Captain, on their 42-foot sloop named T - Bear.

Andy and Louise owned and operated Lakeview Motel from 1980-1985. Andy worked for FEMA for a period of time in 1990s as a boat and harbor specialist, assisting displaced live-aboard boat owners after destructive hurricanes, including INIKI 1992 when he spent 6 six weeks on Kauai in Hawaii.

Andy's community and professional activities included Trustee of the Portland Symphony Orchestra Trustee, Past Commodore and member of the Board of Directors and Honorary Member of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, Past President of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England.

One of Andy’s proudest (and most challenging) accomplishments was his painstaking and loving restoration of Gypsy Bear, a 42-foot 1938 Chester Clement wooden lobster yacht that had been Louise’s family boat when she was a child. Moored at BHYC, Andy and Louise enjoyed being on Gypsy Bear BEAR for 20 wonderful summers.

Simply stated, Andy was a “do-er” - his family and friends, colleagues and community were the fortunate beneficiaries.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Nancy Holmes in 2017 and daughter, Deborah Holmes Beam in 2020.

He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Louise Holmes of Southport, who cared for him tirelessly at home for the last year of his life; sons, Mark Holmes of Keene, New Hampshire and Peter Holmes of South Berwick; stepson, Jonathan Dustin of Saco, Maine; and five grandchildren.

The family has chosen to remember Andy’s life privately. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Andy’s memory may be made to Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Junior Program Foundation, P.O. Box 488, West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay, Maine.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.hallfuneralhomes.com