John A. Jamison

YARMOUTH – John A. Jamison (nee Johnny Allen Jamison) grew up in Bangor. He had friends from many circles and became close to more than one family who took him in when he needed support. He loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing.

John played football in high school and took on the values of discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness. He loved sports and the strategies required to win.

He attended college at the University of Maine, Machias and double majored in business and psychology. John pledged into a growing fraternity and ultimately became its president.

After college, he pursued a career involved with helping troubled teens. One of his proudest accomplishments was building and running a home for teens in crisis. He advocated for the teens, wrote policies and acted as the administrator.

He was a good friend who would lend a hand whenever needed, helping with family moves more than once. He was a natural mentor, manager and coach, understanding what motivates people to perform, and he strove to believe in the good intentions of others.

While living in southern Maine, John played many seasons of Ultimate Frisbee for Portland’s Summer League. He wasn’t the fastest or most agile, but he was tenacious and entertaining on the virtual bulletin board. He was a competitive member of any team, and his sense of humor kept everyone laughing.

Team sports were not his only love; darts, pool, and fishing were all highly competitive activities for John. First cast of every fishing trip began with a wager: $5 for the first fish, $5 for the biggest fish, $5 for the most fish. He was relentless in his pursuit of victory, battling at darts for hours late into the evening.

Not many people know of John’s numerous health challenges and how tough he was on himself. John was born with spina bifida and taken from Bangor to Boston, Mass. immediately for emergency treatment and closure of his exposed spinal cord. Two years later, the medical team was amazed that he was able to walk.

When John was well, he enjoyed cooking for his family and coaching little league baseball and community basketball teams for the younger ages. He underwent an extensive surgery in late 2009 for complications related to his spina bifida, and within a few years, managed to train for and compete in a local Ironman event, in spite of his physical challenges and pain. As the years went on, his physical and mental health worsened, and his relationships with friends and family sadly deteriorated.

John passed away on June 22, 2023. His obituary was originally published by the Bangor Daily News on June 28, 2023.