Obituary of Raymond Daniel Cheney

Raymond Daniel Cheney (Danny), 83, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2023, after battling kidney

disease due to anaplasmosis.  He was born to Raymond P. Cheney and Helen Oslin Cheney on January

16, 1940 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.  Dan was a kind, humble, hardworking family man with a group

of diverse friends.  He would always share great stories with anyone who would listen.

 

Dan grew up in New Harbor and attended local schools.  He graduated from Bristol High School and

then continued his education at Maine Central Institute for two years.  While at MCI he played soccer,

 football, and was on the dorm council.  Dan attended University of Maine at Orono where he

received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1964.   He was a proud member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

during his years at U Maine.  Dan worked and saved for his entire education by digging and selling clams

in Maine and Massachusetts.  He always claimed that he and his good friend had broken the

area dig record with 70 bushels of clams in one tide.  Lobstering was also a side job for Dan starting at

a young age and, following in his father’s footsteps, continued a family tradition that is still

carried on today.   During high school he met his future wife, Sandra Sanders, from Morgantown, West

Virginia while she summered and worked on Pemaquid Point.  They were married in 1962.  They

welcomed son, Mark and daughters, Leslie and Susan as their family grew.

 

Dan began his teaching career at Gardiner Area High School, teaching science while also lobstering some

nights and weekends.  He eventually began teaching science at Lincoln Academy to be closer to home

and the ocean.  After a few years, he gave up teaching to become a full-time lobsterman.  In the early

80’s he acquired and began rebuilding a rundown lobster pound on John’s River in Pemaquid Harbor.  

He ran the Riverview Lobster Pound for the next 40 years, hauling traps to fill the pound and then

managing, feeding, and recapturing the lobsters for sale when he felt the market was right.

 

Dan enjoyed being on the water sport fishing and had fun chasing tuna around the waters of Maine and

Massachusetts.  He also had a great love for freshwater fishing around the State of Maine, particularly

at his camp on Big Lake in Princeton, Maine.  He enjoyed his adventures bone fishing and bareboating

with friends and family in the Caribbean during the 80’s.

 

For years Dan was involved with many close lifelong friends on deer hunting trips, snowmobiling

excursions, ice fishing and other shenanigans at Camp Paradise in Eustis, where great memories

were made.  Over the past few years he particularly enjoyed bird hunting with his two beloved bird

dogs, Gretchen and Coco.

 

He was a past member of the Bristol Area Lions Club where he served as King Lion for a short time.  He

was President of the Pemaquid Fisherman’s Cooperative for many years, and a contributing member

of the Maine Lobster Pound Owner’s Association.  He also helped with Boy Scout trips when Mark

was young.

 

Dan will be missed by his wife, Sandra, of 60 years, son, Mark and his wife Cynthia, daughters Leslie

Bolster and Susan Cheney.  He also leaves his grandchildren, Brooke Cheney, Chad Bolster, Katherine

Abbott and her husband Gregory, Tyler Cheney, Matthew Bolster and one great grandchild, Owen

Gregory Abbott.  He is also survived by his brother, Dr. Prescott “Mike” Cheney, and sisters Avis Ingalls

and Anne Clayton.  He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Alan Cheney, and son-in-law Gregory

Bolster.  Dan will be remembered for the sparkle in his eyes, his impish grin, and his witty, fun spirit.

 

A memorial gathering of family and friends will be held at 67 Riverview Road, Pemaquid (at the lobster

pound) on Sunday, July 9 from 1 to 4.

 

Donations in Dan’s memory may be made to the Bristol First Responders, PO Box 137, New Harbor,

Maine 04554,    

 

Memories and condolnes may be shared on his tribute wall.