Domingo Lago

KENNEBUNK – Domingo Lago, born March 12, 1933 in Louro-Galicia Spain, and of Kennebunk, Maine for the past 13 years, died August 8, 2025 after a short illness.

His life is one that is hard to put into words. He grew up during the Spanish Civil War which found his childhood home under occupation by Franco’s army, where he and his mother and sister were forced to become the servants of the home in order to stay. Raised with, and internalizing, a deep sense of faith, Domingo followed the path of a Jesuit education studying at the University of Salamanca, known as the Oxford of Spain, and ultimately becoming a priest serving in the Spanish diocese.

Domingo’s deep curiosity and intellectualism drove him to new places. In the early 1960’s, he enrolled at the University of Toronto where he received a Master’s in Theology. From there he served as a Jesuit in parishes in Cleveland, Ohio and Long Island. Soon thereafter, he made the difficult personal decision to leave the priesthood and enrolled at New York University to study Political Science. With language presenting a barrier, Domingo pursued a teaching position at Onteora High School in upstate New York where he held a long career teaching Spanish. His love of education, and the ability to inspire students toward the same, was energizing for him.

In his early sixties, Domingo met the love of his life, Marie Wilson, who had been widowed some years earlier. Together, over more than 30 years, they forged a life partnership that brought them from the Hudson Valley to Kennebunk where one of Marie’s daughters lives with her family. Theirs was a partnership of love, respect, shared values, intellectual debate, and fun. Numerous travels together from an expanse as wide as Spain to Santa Fe to Coronado, only enhanced this partnership.

Domingo was a husband, a father, an immigrant, a former priest, a teacher, a linguist who spoke five languages, a philosopher, a sports enthusiast, and a practiced observer of the world. He brought perspective and wit to every conversation, and care and kindness to every situation.

He will be sorely missed by Marie; his daughter Kate by his first marriage and husband Bill, Marie’s daughters Lynda and husband Gregg, Karyn and husband Miles, son Lloyd and wife Maryann, and their collective grandchildren Samantha and husband Evan, Austin, Elizabeth, Collin, Ana, Kendall, and Lance; great grandchild Parker; brothers in-law and sister in-law, Paul, Peter and Marilyn; his cousin Juan who predeceases him and his wife Mucha; and his beloved nieces and nephews of Spain; and too many friends to name!

A Mass and celebration of Domingo’s life will be held at Saint Martha Church, 30 Portland Road, Kennebunk, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18. A luncheon will immediately follow with details to be shared at the service.

Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Poitras Funeral Homes website, http://www.mainefuneral.com.



If you wish to make a donation in Domingo’s memory please consider:

Doctors Without Borders and The Salvation Army – both groups and concerns he cared very much about