Nathaniel Weare Hyde

WEST BATH – Nathaniel Weare Hyde “Nick”, died on May 7, 2025, at the age of 75.

Born on Nov. 22, 1949, in Boston Mass., Nick was the son of Benjamin D. Hyde and Mildred B. Hyde, and the brother of Cynthia Hyde (Jim Kinnealey).

He was predeceased by his brother, Dwight Hyde (Pamela Veenstra).

Nick grew up in Lincoln, Mass. during a time where kids could be outside on their own all day long, exploring nature, riding all over town on bikes, and skating on local ponds, all the while having an eye kept on them by neighbors. He attended Fessenden School, Noble and Greenough, and later graduated from the University of Vermont.

His passions were ice hockey and his lifelong friends, but it was a deeper calling that led Nick to become a surgeon. Nick’s experience of being raised by a mother who lived her life from a wheelchair, having contracted polio in the epidemic of 1952, helped spark a desire to care for others. That desire only strengthened when his best friend’s mother told him that he had, “missed the boat” by not deciding early enough to go to medical school– a quiet challenge Nick took to heart. He went on to earn his medical degree in 1979 from Universidad Central del Este in the Dominican Republic, mastering coursework and exams often delivered in Spanish. He then trained in general surgery at Baystate Medical Center.

Nick served for 32 years at Bath Memorial, Mid Coast Hospital and in private practice, where he was admired by patients and colleagues. Nick loved Maine from his early days as a child sailing with his father in Penobscot Bay. He boasted in his ability to catch a fish and ski all in the same day. He was a man with an understated brilliant mind. He was a talented surgeon, an avid gardener and skilled woodworker. He built furniture and boats including a Herreshoff 12 ½ sailboat. He had a passion for music and entertained the hospital staff along with his fellow band members knowing song lyrics to most songs, which he quoted daily.

After being diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) in 2023, Nick faced the disease with quiet courage and dignity. The outpouring of love and support from friends, colleagues, and the wider community in his final years is a testament to the impact he made, as a physician, a friend, and a human being.

Nick is survived by Nicola Plimpton, the mother of his children; Brittany; Jaimie (Beck Erhard) and their daughters Marlee and Emilie; and Jessie (Alex Vadney). Nick remarried in 2007 to his wife, Polly Arnoff with her children, Sarah (Angela Ruggiero) and their children Payson and Julian; and Kristen Cahill (Andrew Benson) and their children, Blaire, Travis, and Xander.

Nick will be remembered for his humility, warmth, and wit. He was a loving and helpful Bother, Dad and Gramps/Pops, always everyone’s go-to for questions and advice. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A special thank you to Bonnie Caron, nurse and colleague, the Mid Coast Hospital community, and Chans Home Health and Hospice.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 at the Maine Maritime Museum.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Clinic at Mid Coast Hospital; the Maine Maritime Museum; or Maine State Music Theater