Andrew Shattuck Marvin of Boothbay Harbor passed away on Jan. 21, 2025 at the age of 87 at Bay Square Memory Care in Yarmouth, Maine after a several-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Andy was born June 7, 1937, at Orange Memorial Hospital in Orange, New Jersey. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hoffman Marvin and Katherine Shattuck Marvin.

Andy grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and spent summers in Newagen on Southport Island where his love of sailing and the ocean began. He attended Tabor Academy and, upon graduation in 1956, earned the designation “Naval Honor Graduate." In his later years, when dates and names became blurry, he could still tell stories of sailing the schooner Tabor Boy on Buzzards and Narragansett Bays with vivid detail and a glint in his eye.

Andy served in the United States Army from 1959 to 1962, based at Fort Lee, Virginia. He graduated from Nichols College in 1964 with a degree in business administration.

Andy worked at Bath Iron Works in the purchasing and procurement departments for nearly 20 years. During his time at BIW, he was involved in purchasing for the Perry, Ticonderoga, and Burke Classes. He traveled extensively and created lasting business and personal friendships throughout the country.

He resumed his career in purchasing at Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay during the years that sailing yachts Antonisa, Scheherazade, and Windcrest were built. He took great pride in his work and loved to talk about and show off the craftsmanship that was put into every detail. He never turned down a sea trial.

In addition, he spent many hours volunteering at various organizations, including the Boothbay Harbor Port Committee, YMCA, and Boothbay Harbor One Design Association, and served as president of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Junior Foundation.

He always stood by his principles and genuinely cared about doing things right, especially when it affected others. His sense of humor was as quick as it was dry and appeared when you least expected it.

Happiness for Andy was sailing off his mooring in Boothbay Harbor in a building sea breeze. He spent a lifetime cruising New England including many trips with his late friend, Whitney Shattuck of Marblehead. Late into his 70s, he continued to set sail from Boothbay on weeks-long solo trips, including several voyages up the reversing falls of the St. John's River in New Brunswick. During the winter, you could count on finding him in his workshop or under a cold tarp sanding and putting on coat after coat of varnish on his sailboat. He was a true yachtsman who took pride in every aspect of sailing. Never a slapping halyard or a fouled waterline.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joan, of Boothbay Harbor; his son Dean and daughter-in-law Ginny of Portland; and his two grandchildren, Jane and Andy, who knew him as Pops.

Our family would like to thank the entire town of Boothbay Harbor for keeping an eye on Pops during his decline. We would also like to thank the staff of Bay Square and the staff of Compassus Hospice for the loving care they provided over this past year. 

There will be a private family service at a later date and his remains will be spread at sea on a warm summer day per his wishes.