Andrew Scontras

SACO — A movie once said “Half the towns in North America have a Doc Graham.” Well, half the towns have an Andy Scontras as well. Andrew Peter (“Andy”) Scontras was born on Feb. 15, 1931 in a house at 10 Free Street in Saco, Maine. Sunday April 2, 2023, he passed away at the age of 92 at the Huntington Common Senior Living Center in Kennebunk.

He leaves behind a mountain of good will and a legion of friends and acquaintances from his long life in Saco. His life is the wide spectrum of a longtime family of Saco, and its own little piece of Americana. In his later years, he loved to walk, and would take a long circuit along the Main Streets of Saco and Biddeford, stopping on a bench here and there for a break. On any given day he might drop in at the Golden Rooster for a meal, Vic and Whit’s for a cup of coffee and a sandwich, a pizza at Michael’s Pizza, a meal at Saco House of Pizza, or sit outside Rapid Ray’s ”shooting the breeze with the boys.” He had friends in the Community Pharmacy, the local banks and investment firms in town, and Shaw’s supermarket. If he walked into Wendy’s or McDonald’s they knew him, and his meal order! Everyone in downtown Saco knew Andy. In fact, in the last week of his life, he was thinking how much he missed the folks downtown, and wished for a Michael’s pizza or a couple of Rapid Ray’s hotdogs.

A picture of the Scontras clan on the occasion of Andrew’s baptism in 1931 at 10 Free St. was a featured picture in Peter N. Scontras’ book “Saco: Then and Now.” His last independent address was across the block in an apartment at 48 Free St. From his apartment, he could see where he was born (now the loading platform of Agren Appliance) and his last business office. It was a full-circle existence— in between he was a constant presence in his hometown of Saco.

Andrew was the sixth and last child of Peter K. and Anna (Katsoules) Scontras. His parents came from Greece to Somersworth, New Hampshire, and settled in Saco around 1916. From that year until 2019 (over 100 years) there was a Scontras business on Main Street in Saco, and Andy was part of all of them. Only the Post Office and the Saco-Biddeford Savings Institution can claim a longer continuous presence. Andy’s father was a shoe maker and opened his cobbler shop on Main St. Over time, all members of the family helped out. Unfortunately, Andy’s father (age 50) died when Andy was 5 in 1936 from tuberculosis. At that time, oldest brother Nicholas (only 18) took over the family shoe business. Andy worked in the shop from age 12 through high school. He even spent a summer living alone at age 16 in York at a satellite shop in a bid to expand the business.

Andy attended all local Saco schools including Jordan School, C.K. Burns Junior High and Thornton Academy High School, graduating in 1949. His yearbook describes him as “never a dull moment when Andy is around.” His senior notes said that he plans “a career to be pounding the sole of a heel.” It also said “Oh! those math periods” and “gets the most amazing marks in Physics.” Years later when his soon-to-be physicist son asked him about this, he pointed out that these were not amazingly good marks!. A year after high school, Andy enlisted in the US Air Force, entering as a private. He served in post WWII Europe, helping to keep the peace. While there, he was assigned all over the continent, visiting Paris, Rome, Athens, and some of his relatives in Greece. In the latter part of his service, during the Korean conflict, he helped airdrop supplies to the troops on the ground. After four years, Andy was discharged in mid-1954 with the rank of Staff Sgt. After returning from the Air Force, Andy bought the Liberty Spa at 198 Main St., turning it into Andy’s Diner. It was the spot for high schoolers to go to after school, with a jukebox and the all the traditional looks. Even in recent years, Andy would say that kids would come up to him and recall the diner. Of course, those “kids” were nearly 80 years old now!

During this time, Andy met Mary Pitarys at a dance gathering in Portland. They dated and Andy says that he proposed to Mary multiple times and was rebuffed. He didn’t give up, and eventually, Mary relented, and they were married on March 11, 1956. Mary was an academic type, having graduated from Portland High School at the top of her class at only age 15, and from Westbrook Junior College as its unofficial valedictorian. She worked in the health care industry before her marriage. After that, as with many brides of the day, Mary gave up her career to become a homemaker. But she and Andy were partners in all their future business ventures. When they got married, Andy, trying to be broadminded, said to Mary “I want our marriage to be an equal 50-50 partnership.” Mary replied, “OK, I’ll take the first 50 years, you can take the next 50.” Later, Andy tried a different approach, saying upon returning home one day after work, “The boss is home.” To which Mary said “I know I saw her in the mirror this morning.” Over the years, family and friends enjoyed this banter and stories and it passed through their extended family.

Mary and Andy had two sons, Stanley Andrew in 1957 and Stephen Andrew in 1958, keeping with the Greek tradition of middle names. Mary’s mother did not speak a lot of English and Andy wanted to impress his new mother-in-law with his (so-so) grasp of the Greek language. When Stanley was born, Andy proudly said to her that “it’s a boy.” Unfortunately, in Greek, boy and cucumber are very similar and he actually proclaimed that “it’s a cucumber.” Only Mrs. Pitarys knows what she thought about that.

In 1960, Andrew joined older brother Nick in real estate just a couple doors down at 194/196 Main St. This was the same year the family purchased their first home in Saco. Over the course of the 1960’s, the N.P. Scontras Agency built the Wildwood subdivision, the biggest Saco housing project of its day. Those initial 500 acres also begat the Rachel Carson Preserve, Plymouth Settlement, Ocean Greens Dr., and Richards Way housing projects, where one of his sons lives today. During the 1960’s Andy was cubmaster of the local Cub Scout pack and president of the Saco Little League, playing a role in acquiring a land grant from Maremont on which the Maremont LL now lies. He served as the City of Saco’s Building Auditor and was a member of the Elks Lodge, and the local Chamber of Commerce.

In 1971, he and Mary formed their own firm, AnSco Real Estate and Appraisal Company, moving up the block to 202 Main St, and then expanding to a larger office at 230 Main St. Initially, there was a large staff of both real estate brokers and appraisers. Ultimately it focused only on appraisals. During these early years in the 1970’s Andy was a president of the York County Board of Realtors, and the 1974 Realtor of the Year. He was president of the Maine Chapter of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers, and one of the first members with SRA (Senior Residential Appraiser) credentials in the state. He understood that an independent party should be the one appraising home values on which banks and mortgage firms base their loans. He was appointed by former Gov. John McKernan to a committee to establish licensing laws for state of Maine appraisers. Many of AnSco’s staff appraisers went on to future careerx as independent appraisers and city assessors. As was always true with his personality, he had friends throughout the banking industry and would always remember to deliver Christmas gifts to his banking friends. In the 1980’s son Stephen joined the firm as an appraiser, running more of the business and continuing to run it as Andy decreased his involvement in the 2000’s.

All through these years, Mary and Andy enjoyed going to the Ogunquit Playhouse and eating out at nice restaurants. Andy always doted on Mary with jewelry and flowers. He also continued making friends and acquaintances everywhere. One of the most unexpected places was at the University of New England. Andy had a heart attack in 1984. As part of his recovery, Andy starting attending a BodyWise class at UNE, using their swimming pool, and exercise equipment. As was usual for Andy he formed a friendship with Dean John Tumeil, and then became an active presence in UNE sports. He attended numerous games, brought pizzas to the girl’s basketball games, and more. In 2006, UNE formed a Sports Hall of Fame. The inaugural class included four athletes and Andy Scontras who “embodies the spirit of UNE” and “with no direct ties to the University, is an amazing supporter of our athletic programs.” Andy was given a lifetime pass to all UNE sporting events and even in his last years he took the bus out to UNE to use their exercise room.

Andy and Mary loved being with their grandkids and attending all their school activities, piano recitals, choirs, and sports. Andy made it to all family gatherings, changing his plans as needed. He went to all college and med school graduations, from Maryland (Johns Hopkins, Maryland) to Boston (Brandeis, Tufts). Only four months before he passed, he attended his grandson’s wedding in Baltimore. In 2008, after only 2½ years of being “in charge” wife Mary passed away. Andy lived alone in their house for a few years, but needing a little less to tend to, moved into the independent living apartments at the Wardwell in 2015.

Andy was a very involved member of St. Demetrios Greek church in Saco. He helped at the Greek festival and enjoyed his rides to church with the “two Stephanies,” two church members who picked him up on Sunday. Father Basil noted how, for a man of 90+, with typical old age issues, he was still active, engaging the membership of the church, and was a friendly face to all. Upon announcing his passing Sunday, many members were visibly saddened. His friends at the Golden Rooster and Vic and Whit’s became like a second family to him and helped look out for him. With his walks in town and meeting and making new friends, this last phase of Andy’s life was still active and well-lived. He was a happy man.

Andrew Peter Scontras was predeceased by his father and mother, his oldest brother Nicholas of Saco, brother Harry of Dover, New Hampshire a teen-age sister Maria from scarlet fever in Saco in the 1950’s, and an infant boy in the 1920’s. He is survived by his older sister Freda Zotos of Cohasset, Massachusetts, and his sons Stanley (Mary) and Stephen. Stephen’s ex-wife Veronica remained a close friend and would bring him meals to eat. He was a Papou (grandfather) to Dr. Teresa Letellier (Jeffrey), Dr. Jennifer Danel (Jonathan), Andrew Peter Scontras (Tyler) of Maryland, Leah Scontras, Chris Scontras, and Jason Scontras. He was a pro-Papou (great-grandfather) to Cameron Andrew Scontras Letellier and Emma Mary Elizabeth Letellier. He had numerous nieces and nephews who he always felt fondly about.

Arrangements are by Cote Funeral Home in Saco. Visiting Hours will be Wednesday, April 5 from 5 to 8 p.m.  at Cote. The Funeral Service is at St. Demetrios Church in Saco, Thursday, April 6 at 10 a.m.. Burial will follow in the St. Demetrios Cemetery in Biddeford, next to Mary. To view Andrew’s memorial page or leave an online condolence, please visit www.cotefuneralhome.com