1935 – 2019

Harpswell – Donald William Newberg died early Monday, June 17, 2019, at his home in Harpswell, Maine. His wife, Peg,his two sons with their wives, and his grandchildren were with him the day before, on Father’s Day, talking, singing, and holding his hand.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, May 2, 1935, to Evelyn (Smiley) and Carl Newberg, Don was strong and healthy all his life until afflicted with Alzheimer’s six years ago. Even then he continued to be active and affectionate until a recent sharp decline.

A geologist and teacher, Don loved the out-of-doors, and he enjoyed meeting all sorts of people and hearing their stories. Don was fiercely loving and loyal to family and friends of all ages. He was highly principled, a bit of a perfectionist, responsible and conscientious; if Don said he would do something, he followed through 100%. Honest to the core, there were no pretenses around Don. He loved problem solving, projects around the house and in the yard, the dogs and cats he and Peg had over the years, ice cream and beer.

Don attended schools in New Haven and graduated in the Class of 1956 from Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He worked for a copper mining company in Arizona and served two years in the Army, stationed in Germany. He returned with a VW bug. He earned a M.A. and PhD from Harvard University in geology. In 1964, he married Marguerite (Peg) Bottai. They then spent time in Virginia and in Val-d’Or, Quebec, Canada where they added a baby boy, Eric, to their family. A second son, Matthew, was born in Syracuse, NY, while Don was teaching geology at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

In 1976, Don and Peg moved to Maine, where they had been spending summers for many years, and bought a house in Harpswell. Don taught at Bates and Bowdoin colleges, mapped for the State of Maine, wrote and published. Eager to get back in the field again, Don founded D.W. Newberg Associates, Inc. and worked on hydrogeologic assessment, subdivision planning and other property use designs.

Both he and Peg became involved in their community. Among other volunteer activities, Don was a firefighter and a member of the board of directors for the Harpswell Land Trust. For many years he also participated in an annual 150-mile bike ride, fundraising for MS. He loved camping with family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Marguerite Newberg of Harpswell, ME, his son Matthew and his wife Brooke Newberg of Bath, ME and his son Eric Newberg and his wife Amy Newberg of Yarmouth, ME, four grandchildren; Anders Newberg, Sophie Newberg, Dylan Randall-Newberg and Vale Newberg, his sister Carlene Phillips of Harvard, MA and cousins, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life will be announced at a future date. Donations in the name of Donald W. Newberg may be gifted to Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, P.O. Box 359, Harpswell, ME 04079, or the Harpswell Neck Fire & Rescue, P.O. Box 8, Harpswell, ME 04079.

Arrangements are in the care of Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal Street, Brunswick.  Condolences can be expressed to the family at www.brackettfh.com