Joel Baker Stevens, a longtime Boothbay resident, died May 6, 2023 in Panama City, Florida, surrounded by the love of his family and many friends. He was 85.

Mr. Stevens was born in Damariscotta on Jan. 11, 1938, the oldest of seven children born to Evelyn (Thurston) Stevens, a homemaker; and James Perkins Stevens, a shipbuilder at Goudy and Stevens of East Boothbay. The family lived in East Boothbay before moving to Boothbay in the 1950s.

Mr. Stevens was educated in the Boothbay school system, and graduated from Gould Academy, in Bethel, Maine, in 1956, where he excelled at football, baseball, and track and field, and was a member of the Glee Club.

In 1959, he married Margo Wood, and worked at Goudy and Stevens shipyard for several years. Together with his grandfather, father, uncle, and brothers, Mr. Stevens sent a fleet of ships down the ways, from sailboats and motor yachts to fishing vessels. In his spare time, he cut and baled hay, planted large vegetable gardens, and built or fixed nearly everything around the property as his family grew.

In 1973, Mr. Stevens started a construction business, and built several homes in the region as well as the Bremen Town Library. During his time as a builder, his children learned to rip shingles, paint and stain everything, and tidy up job sites.

After his first marriage ended in 1975, Mr. Stevens married Lucia Douglas in 1976. He returned to shipbuilding, briefly running the Gamage & Stevens yard in East Boothbay before rejoining Goudy and Stevens in 1978. He oversaw the construction and launch of several boats in the Frank O’Hara fishing fleet, and innovative craft that removed oil from water to minimize environmental damage.

He was active in Boothbay town politics for many years, serving on the town’s School Board and Board of Selectmen, was a Little League coach, and was a member of the Damariscotta River Association.

Mr. Stevens could turn wood into buildings or furniture, and he could make steel float. He enjoyed the outdoors, cooking out, clambakes “down at the shore,” and family voyages upriver to Damariscotta, or downriver to East Boothbay, Bristol, Pemaquid, and beyond. His children vividly remember cutting and stacking wood, cookouts in the snow, mackerel fishing, and anchoring offshore to wade through chest-deep water to reach Pemaquid Beach.

After Mr. Stevens’ second marriage ended, he married Judith Anne Holbrook in 1994. They moved to Panama City, Florida, in 1997, where he worked for the Eastern Shipbuilding Group, and enjoyed not shoveling snow. For the next 20 years, he divided his time between the Panama City shipyard, Seattle, and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, fitting O’Hara boats for the Northwest fisheries.

At home in Panama City, Mr. Stevens stayed busy with genealogy – a lifelong passion – and a variety of home improvements large and small, especially following Hurricane Michael. He and Judy enjoyed traveling and cherished spending time with their extended family and wide circle of friends.

Near the end of his life, he repeatedly said that he was amazed at how everyone came together to help Judy, and then himself, through their final days. We sorely miss his colorful (and often-unrepeatable) descriptions, spoonerisms, and supremely dry wit.

Mr. Stevens was predeceased by his parents and his loving wife of 29 years, Judith Stevens (March 17, 1945 – April 4, 2023).

He is survived by a son, Joel Matthew Stevens (Karen); and five daughters: Mary Stevens (Zach Peters), Katrina Stevens (Jeff Sharratt), Hannah Friedman (Greg); Jorie Stevens Roesener (Tara), and Sarah Almeida (John); and his beloved stepchildren Justin Smith (Sandra) and Janet Leavey (William). He also leaves six siblings, Elizabeth Smith, Ella Ibarguen (William), Edith Stevens, Jacob Stevens (Barbara), Ellen Newton, and James Nathaniel Stevens; 13 grandchildren, dozens of nieces and nephews, and many cousins.

A life celebration for Joel and Judy will be held in Panama City, Florida, on May 27. A second celebration and burial are planned for a later date in Boothbay.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Joel Stevens’ name to the Boothbay Region Historical Society, P.O. Box 272, 72 Oak Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538; or the Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington Street, Bath, ME 04530.