CAMDEN — Donald A. ‘Donnie’ Rossiter, 91, died peacefully at home, Thursday, April 4, 2024.

Born December 16, 1932 at the Old Mountain Street Hospital in Camden, he was the son of Willis and Virginia Wing Rossiter.

Donnie was a hard worker from an early age. He began working at the age of 12, shoveling sand off and on dump trucks while tarring roads for the Town of Camden for just 50 cents per hour. At the age of 14 he discovered his passion for being on the water, sailing and all things boat related. First, he raced Herreshoff 16 sailboats for Marshall Field and his two sons, next a Dark Harbor 20 for Mr. Ronald Tree and later went to work as a yacht captain for Douglas Dillon’s fleet and his racing sailboats. When Mr. Dillon was drafted as the ambassador to France, Donnie went to work for Mrs. Palmer.

At the age of 19 Donnie was drafted into the US Army, serving two years with the US Military Police. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal. Following his discharge, Donnie returned to his love of sailboat racing, captaining for Sally Gowen on Islesboro. In the fall of that year, he moved to Norwalk, Connecticut where he took a position as an Assistant Chemist for the Norwalk Manufacturing Company.

Next Donnie moved to Florida where he served for several years as the Mate on the Rumak, an 80 foot Trumpy. In 1957 he left the Rumak and married Evelyn Beck. That same year, he went to work for Cortland Gross building a new 42-foot-long yacht. Over the years, Donnie and his wife welcomed three children: Carrie in 1957, Matthew in 1958 and Mark in 1960. Donnie often said the greatest joy in his life was having fun with his wife and children. His daughter Stephanie was born in 1982.

In 1960 Don’s entrepreneurial spirit took over and he established Camden Taxi with his friend Desmond Emery. He operated that company until 1964 when he started a building company with a six-man crew, later adding a painting crew to the business in 1968. In 1969 Donnie switched gears, quite literally, when he opened a Polaris Snowmobile shop, selling sleds for over 12 years. Donnie went on to purchase and manage apartment buildings and started Down East Insulation. He continued racing sail boats while he captained the fleet owned by Douglas Dillon and his family. Donnie and his sons, started Rossiter Boat Rental, operating for over 17 years together.

Donnie’s legacy of hard work and love of family will continue for generations to come.

Predeceased by his siblings, Richard Rossiter and Joyce Bucannan, Donnie is survived by his special friend and significant other of 42 years, Doris LaRochelle of Pittston; his children, Carrie Rossiter of Belfast, Matthew Rossiter and his wife Stacey of Lincolnville, Mark Rossiter and his partner Laurie McDaniels of Union, Stephanie Steel of Lufkin, Texas; his grandchildren and their spouses, Dillon and Carolina, Michael and Sarah, Darren and Briana, Cassandra and Christopher, Whitney and Benjamin, Jeremy, Hunter, Tucker, Ethan and Cory; and his great-grandchildren, Preston, Avery, Sophia, Lukas, Macy, Benjamin, and Brooklyn; as well as Doris’s children Melissa and Jeremy, and too many friends to count.

The family would like to say a special thank you to Camden District Nursing, including his nurse Priscilla, Marylin Littlefield, and the staff at Sussman House in Rockport for their home care support.

A celebration of Donnie’s life will be held Friday, April 19, 2024, at 1 p.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. The Reverend Dr. Susan Stonestreet will officiate. For those unable to attend in person, a live-stream of the service will be available on Don’s Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com, then Photos and Videos then Watch Webcast.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to may donate in his memory: Camden District Nursing, 30 Community Dr, Camden, ME 04843; or MaineHealth Care@Home, memo: Sussman House Rockport, 40 Anchor Dr, Rockport, ME 04856

To share a memory or condolence or to read a story of Donnie’s life in his own words, please visit his Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.