Donald Sumner Barter, 92, of Boothbay Harbor died peacefully on Monday, May 6, 2013 at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta after a brief illness.

He was born January 3, 1921 in Boothbay Harbor, the son of the late Alfred Augustus Barter 1st and Marguerite Adams Barter. Attending local schools, he was a graduate of
Boothbay Harbor High School class of 1938.

Once his schooling was finished he joined a crew of young men from Maine and worked on a yacht owned by the Fisher Body Company on the Great Lakes. The vessel was requested by
the U.S. Navy. Donald, along with the rest of the crew, delivered the ship to Hoboken, N.J.

It was shortly after returning to Boothbay Harbor that he enlisted in the United States Navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor. In his first tour he was assigned to the Portland area
where he helped protect Maine’s coast. During this tour he met his future bride, Helen Joyce of Portland. After his tour in Portland he was sent to the South Pacific where he was stationed
primarily in New Guinea and the Philippines. While serving overseas one of his duties was as part of a security detail for General MacArthur.

After completing his service with the Navy, he returned to Boothbay Harbor and he and Helen were married on February 22, 1946. There he built their first home and began a lifelong
career in boatbuilding and woodworking.

During his career, he worked for almost every one of the shipyards in the Boothbay region at one time or another, as well as at Bath Iron Works. In addition to his work in the shipyards, he built and sold wooden skiffs and an occasional small sailboat at his home. In 1960 he was offered an opportunity to work at a shipyard in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and the family moved there for several winters, but came back home to Boothbay Harbor to work summers and build a camp on a parcel of land he had bought on West Harbor Pond. The summer of 1965, he winterized that camp, remained in Maine and lived in that home for the remainder of his life. Although he officially retired at the age of 62, he was often asked to lend a hand on various projects by the builders of the region was always happy to share his skills with a new generation of wood boat builders.

His life’s work culminated with the completion of a 16-foot cedar strip pea pod boat rigged for sailing that he began about the time he retired. That work was soon interrupted during
which time he lovingly cared for his wife Helen as she battled Alzheimer’s disease.

The boat was finally completed in the fall of 1998. On the boat's first trip it hit a rock leading to what he termed its official christening, but it continued to float. He sailed that boat on
West Harbor Pond every summer until just the last few years.

He enjoyed woodworking and loved experimenting with new skills. He was especially proud of his ship’s wheel clocks that he made for each of his children, which are proudly displayed in their homes.

He was devoted to his children and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was a member of the Charles E. Sherman Jr. Post American Legion for many years.

He volunteered each Wednesday afternoon for the past 17 years at the nursing home Bingo game at St. Andrews Village and was recently honored by the staff with a certificate for his lengthy service.

He was predeceased by his wife of 49 years, Helen Barter. Survivors include his daughter, Joyce Barter and her husband Carl Mills of Bridgton; sons, Allen Barter and his wife Kathy of Boothbay Harbor and Alfred Barter and his wife Stephenne, also of Boothbay Harbor; grandchildren, Sean Wilbur and his wife Jessica of Fairfield, Deborah Lambertson of Bridgton, Scott Barter of Southport, Melanie Barter Green and her husband Richard of Boothbay Harbor, and Michael Barter of Boothbay; great-grandchildren, Ashleigh Wilbur of Fairfield, Bradford
Wilbur of Fairfield, Anastasia Lambertson of Bridgton, and Chanel Stoddard of Boothbay Harbor and his companion of recent years, Cynthia Dodge of Boothbay Harbor.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, May 10, 2013 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Simmons Harrington and Hall Funeral Home 975 Wiscasset Road Boothbay. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10 a.m. also at the funeral home with Pastor Ami Sawtelle officiating. Burial will take place at Evergreen cemetery in Boothbay following services.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Donald’s memory may be made to the Gregory Wing Activity Fund, 145 Emery Lane, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

You are invited to share your condolences, photos, and memories with the family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com/.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington, and Hall Funeral Home Boothbay.