David Bradford Soule of Woolwich, senior partner in the law firm of Soule, Soule & Logan in Wiscasset, died peacefully on March 20 in the presence of his family.
He was born in Augusta on Sept. 2, 1916, the son of Alfred Morton Gilmore Soule and Mary Emily Hilton Soule.
David graduated from Cony High School in Augusta in 1934, and Bowdoin College in Brunswick, class of 1938, where he excelled in track and football. He was president of Zeta Psi Fraternity.
After graduating from Boston University Law School and passing the Maine bar examination, he volunteered for the U.S. Naval Reserve and graduated from Naval indoctrination school at Dartmouth College with a commission. He was assigned as the gunnery officer on merchant marine vessels and served in the North Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Mediterranean theatres during WWII. His ship was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and rescued by a British vessel, which set him ashore in Tunisia. He was released from duty in 1945.
David began his practice of law with Alan Bird in Rockland before serving as legal adjudicator with the Veteran’s Administration in Togus. He was later appointed as Insurance Commissioner for the State of Maine, and still later, served in the Attorney General’s office in the Inheritance Tax Division.
In 1953, David moved to Woolwich to practice law in a private practice with Carl M.P. Larrabee in Wiscasset. In addition to a busy practice, focusing on real estate, estate planning, and probate, David was associated with Roy E. Farmer in the Larrabee Insurance Agency for many years. He was joined by his son, David B. Soule, Jr., in the practice of law in 1971 and later by William W. Logan of Boothbay Harbor.
He officially retired from the practice of law on Jan. 1, 2007 at the age of 90, but his presence is still felt in the firm he served for 57 years.
David was Treasurer of St. Philips Episcopal Church in Wiscasset for many years, served on the vestry and was a lay reader. He served on the advisory board for the Salvation Army, was a trustee of the Wiscasset Library, a member of American Legion Post 0054, the Lincoln Lodge, The Wiscasset Fire Society, and was President of the Woolwich Historical Society. He was chairman of the South Woolwich Volunteer Fire Co., and the Murphy’s Corner Cemetery Association. He served as counsel for the Monhegan Associates for many years and received an award from them in 1998.
He loved duck hunting, fishing, good food, and his Farmall Cub Tractor. Most of all, however, he loved his wife, Muriel Sturgis Soule, who predeceased him in 2006. He and
Muriel knew each other for 84 years, having met in grammar school in Augusta, and they were married for 64 years.
He leaves a son and law partner, David B. Soule, Jr. and daughter-in-law Patricia J. O’Reilly of Westport Island; grandson, Tyson N. Soule of Bath; granddaughter, Erika Soule and husband Steven Shea of Edgecomb. He also leaves sisters, Mary Bateman and Frances Maher and a brother, William H. Soule, all of Woolwich; and a myriad of nieces, nephews, clients and friends who counted him among their favorites.
There will be no memorial service or visiting hours at his request.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Maine Wilderness Watershed Trust, P.O. Box 5660, Augusta, ME 04332-5660 or the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, P.O. Box 234, Barters Island Rd., Boothbay ME 04537, would be most appreciated.
Arrangements are by Mayo & Daigle Funeral Home, 40 Federal St., Wiscasset.
