Frank Koenig, who came to Windham following an early retirement and became a community leader during a time of change and growth, died last week. He was 95.

Long known as “Mr. Windham,” Koenig was present at seemingly every important meeting pertaining to the future of Windham and the surrounding region over the course of three decades. After retiring from Amoco Oil, he retired to Windham, and quickly became a central figure in a town that was slowly shedding its image as a rural, farm-filled community.

Koenig was the first executive director of the Windham Chamber of Commerce, later the Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce, serving in that role for 25 years, helping to grow North Windham and make sure the town’s businesses stayed healthy.

“Frank had a lot of energy, and an awful lot to offer. He was not ready to retire,” said Ed Getty, who worked closely with Koenig at the Chamber. “He was interested in people, and he wanted the community to be better for his effort.”

During his time in charge of the Chamber, it grew from 69 members to 329 members. It was also during that time that the North Windham shopping area sprung up, turning Route 302 from a road dotted with farms to a virtual highway featuring all the stores a resident could want. While some Windham residents bemoaned the change, others were pleased they could finally get the clothes, food and other products they wanted without leaving town.

“Frank knew progress was going to continue, and Frank was pro-business. He was a great visionary. Most of that development in North Windham happened in the 70s, 80s and early 90s,” said Getty.

The granite curbing, trees and other landscaping along busy Route 302 are a testament to Koenig’s capability for persuasion, said Debbie McPhail, who met Koenig in 1979 and considered him a friend and mentor.

Getty remembers that, too, when the Maine Department of Transportation refused the request to beautify Route 302, and Koenig took them along for a trip.

“Frank walked them up and down all of 302 and said, we need a tree here, a tree there, and they did it,” said Getty.

Koenig’s community involvement did not end with the Chamber. He was a longtime chairman of Windham’s Zoning Board of Appeals, and a member of the Comprehensive Planning Committee and Strategic Planning Committee, as well as a moderator at Town Meeting. He was a Mason, and a president of the Lake Region Shrine Club. He was Rotarian of the Year in 1999, and on the board of directors of the Kiwanis Club. He was a member of the Windham Hill United Church of Christ.

In most of what he did, he did it for local businesses, said Tom Bartell, a former town councilor and now Windham’s economic development director. After a career spent in business, he was always asking business owners what stood in their way, with a mind to fix those problems, Bartell said.

“He understood dealing with business. He understood what business was all about, and maybe he saw where he could help spread that knowledge,” he said. “He was really an amazing person, so full of energy and life in everything he did.”

Driving around town, it is hard to miss the legacy of Windham residents like Koenig, Bartell said.

“I think he was part of a generation of Windham leaders who set the stage for that growth. He was a big part of that, and saw the importance of having a good business climate.”

A CLOSER LOOK

Services for Frank Koenig will be held this weekend. Visiting hours are Saturday, April 18, 3-5 p.m., at Dolby Funeral Home, 434 River Road in Windham, with a Masonic service at 5 p.m. His funeral will be held Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road in Windham, followed by a reception in the church’s Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Windham Hill United Church of Christ.

Frank Koenig