Homer Theodore (Ted) Vail

Community Leader Homer Theodore (Ted) Vail of Falmouth passed away on October 27th. He was 97. The youngest of four boys born in Randolph, Vermont, January 17, 1927, to a small businessman and a homemaker, Jackson and Hallie Vail, Ted Vail found joy and meaning in service to community and the greater good. His parents moved the family from Vermont to Falmouth, Maine, in 1929, where Ted resided most of his life. He was a 1945 graduate of Falmouth High School, entering the Army upon graduation, serving in the Army of Occupation in post-war Germany. Ted continued his education at Springfield College after the Army, graduating in 1951, later obtaining a master’s in education from the University of Maine. For 26 years he was an educator, spending 20 of those years in the Falmouth school system as a teacher, coach, and principal. There, he met and married a fellow teacher, Dolores Tarbell Vail in 1959, a 65-year marriage filled with love and adventure. Ted’s commitment to the Falmouth community extended well beyond his work as an educator. As a teenager during WW II he worked for the town’s public works department, paving roads, plowing snow, and driving a school bus. He served in the Falmouth Fire Department for 50 years, including leadership roles as Deputy Chief and Chief. As the town’s Director of Parks and Recreation from 1963-1973, Ted was instrumental in acquisition of a 50-acre nature preserve. He served on the town council from 1978-84 and again from 1990-94, including a term as council chair. Ted also spearheaded efforts to fund a major town library expansion in the late 1990s and led fundraising for the town’s veterans’ memorial. For many years Ted was the driving force behind the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade. For his contributions to the community Ted was recognized as Falmouth Lions Club’s 1966 citizen of the year. Ted was a lifelong member and leader of Falmouth Congregational Church. His faith guided his life, and his church family meant so much to him. The family wishes to thank the church for their prayers and many visits to Ted during his final days. Ted and wife Dolores were blessed with a wide circle of friends, with whom they explored Maine, New England, and beyond. Ted and Dolores’ home was a center of activity, and they frequently hosted gatherings of family, friends, and neighbors. Ted enjoyed many pursuits, whether watching an oxen pull at Cumberland County Fair, listening to the band play at Fort Allen Park, paddling a canoe, or driving his antique truck in local parades. Ted is survived by sons Ben Vail and his fiancée Joanna Montgomery of Waldoboro, Jeffrey Vail of Washington, DC, grandchildren Hannah Vail, Abbie Moon, and Jackson Vail, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Dolores and brothers Jack Vail, Tom Vail, and Bob Vail. The family would like to extend their deep appreciation to the staff at Park Danforth in Portland, where Ted and Dolores lived the last four years of their lives. Their dedication and kindness enabled Ted and his wife to live their final years in a compassionate and caring environment. The family is likewise grateful to Northern Lights Hospice for their skilled care during our father’s final weeks. The family welcomes all who wish to attend a memorial service in celebration of Ted Vail’s life, to be held Sunday November 24th at 1 pm at Falmouth Congregational Church, 267 Falmouth Road, Falmouth. The family invites you to offer your condolences at the link below. Donations in my father’s name may be made to Preble Street, a community center in Portland where Ted and Dolores volunteered for many years. https://www.preblestreet.org/donate/

Homer Theodore (Ted) Vail

January 17, 1927 - October 27, 2024

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