Herbert Paul Billett - age: 87
(September 11, 1927 to March 19, 2015
)
Resident of
Biddeford Pool, Maine
Visitation Information:
A private family committal will be held at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco. Arrangements are with Dennett, Craig and Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main Street, Saco.
Memorial donations may be made in Herbert’s honor to First Parish Congregational Church, 12 Beach Street, Saco, ME 04072.
Obituary:
Herbert P. Billett, 87, of passed away at his home on March 19, 2015. He was born in Burnham, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1927, a son of the late Russell and Flo Manbeck Billett. He moved with his family to Portland in 1943. He graduated with honors from Portland High School with the Class of 1945 leaving early to serve with the U, S. Navy in the South Pacific. After his discharge from the service, he attended Boston University and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications in 1951. He was employed by Merrifield’s Office Supply in Bangor where he worked as Vice President and General Manager for nine years.
He began his educational career as an English teacher at Bangor High School in 1960, taught for five years and served as the high school media/technology director and drama productions assistant. In 1963, he received his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Maine in Orono. He was promoted to the position of Director of Educational Technology and Public Relations for the Bangor Public Schools in 1965, and was assigned to the central administration office. In 1968, he was accepted into the Doctoral Program at Boston University School of Education taking a sabbatical to continue his studies. Additional course work was taken at Indiana University, University of New Hampshire, State University of New York and Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
While in Bangor, he was active with the Jaycees, City Club and the Civic Theater and Bangor Savoyards theater groups. He acted in nine, directed five and produced three drama and musical productions, and held several elected offices in both organizations. Theater, music and travel were an integral part of his life.
He was hired by the Brockton, Massachusetts Public Schools as the Director of Library/Media/Television Services in 1968 and served in that position for 24 years until his retirement in 1992. A member of many national, state and local educational organizations, he also appeared in three local charity theater productions as fund-raisers for the Brockton Hospital. After retirement, he returned to Maine and kept busy with volunteer work with the Biddeford City Theater, travel, committee work as a member of the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco, and as a board member of the Biddeford Pool Land Trust.
He was predeceased by his wife Patricia Hyde Billett on March 28, 2014 and by a daughter Karen J. Billett,49 formerly of Fort Pierce, Florida who died in an accident on May 14, 2004.
Herbert is survived by his daughter Kimberly Billett of Northborough, Massachusetts; a sister Phyllis Jean Thorndike of St. Cloud, Minnesota; a brother Donald R. Billett and a sister-in-law Lynn Ritchey Billett of New York City.
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