William Poole, 98

Falmouth, Maine

William Whipple Poole died May 13, 2021.

Bill grew up in Portland, started his studies at Dartmouth College, and joined the U.S. Army in 1943 to serve in the European Theater in the 158th Combat Engineering Unit of Patton’s Third Army. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and participated in the crossing of the Rhine River.

He returned to Dartmouth in 1947, joined the Theta Delta Chi fraternity and graduated in 1948. He remained a lifelong supporter of his schools, fraternity, and his military unit. In 2011, he self-published his memoir, “My Experience in the US Army during World War II- 1943 to 1946”.

After the War, Bill joined his father Parker Poole Sr. at the W.H. Shurtleff Company, a wholesale distributor of salt and chemicals, on Union Wharf. With his brother Parker Poole Jr. and his nephews, Malcolm and Charlie grew the Shurtleff Company to a New England-wide supplier and the Union Wharf property to a centerpiece of Portland’s working waterfront.

Bill’s passion for sailing extended to volunteerism, becoming a judge and official for U.S. Sailing and their Match Racing Championships, as well as being chosen as an alternate judge for the America’s Cup. Bill was a long-term member of the Portland Yacht Club, past president of Northeast Sailing Association, and former U.S. Sailing board member.

In addition to his wife Dana, Bill is survived by his Poole nephews and nieces and their spouses, Malcolm and Patti, Parker Poole III and Diane, Charles and Elizabeth, Christina and Henry, Alexandra and Mark; and 19 great-nieces and nephews.