Henry C. Musser Jr., 88, died peacefully at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, on Wednesday, March 6 after a long decline with Alzheimer’s. Henry was born on April 4, 1935, to Sue Kern and H. Clay Musser of State College, Pa.
He graduated from State College High School, and earned three degrees: B.A., Master of Education, and an MFA at Penn State University. Spending four years in the SAC division of the Air Force, he was stationed in Bangor.
Henry was a gregarious individual who was never shy about striking up conversations with strangers, many of whom became good friends. Known for exercising his creative talents in a most productive way, he taught art for 32 years at all levels from kindergarten to graduate students, ending his career as professor of art and art history and gallery director at Adirondack College in Queensbury, N.Y.
His sensitive appreciation of the beauty of the Pennsylvania and New England landscapes and seaside were evident in his prolific production of watercolors, which were exhibited in many galleries in upstate New York.
He was an enthusiastic planner of the next project whether restoring colonial houses for his family’s use, creating his art, piloting his planes or planning the next travel adventure. During the U.S. centennial, he turned his interest in early architecture to creating small wooden hand built and painted reproductions of historic colonial buildings which eventually developed into a small gift manufacturing business Windfield Designs Inc. located in Glens Falls, N.Y.
He and wife Pat retired to Maine in 1994 where his interests turned into building models of 18th and 19th century sailing ships.
Retirement allowed the couple to travel abroad extensively where Henry documented the sights in watercolors and drawings.
As a strong believer in community involvement, he served on the board and as interim director of the Hyde Museum in Glens Falls, N.Y. In Maine he served as guide at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. He also volunteered at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, the Kennebunk Animal Welfare Society, and the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.
Above all, he loved his family and enjoyed visits from his granddaughters who knew him as “Dada Hank” and “Pop Pop.” He especially enjoyed those times when the whole family congregated for special holidays.
Henry was predeceased by his parents; and his sister, Julia Dawson; and sister-in-law, Martha Finley. He is survived by Pat, his wife of 62 years, Wells; his daughter, Betheny Hessel, Sparta, N.J.; daughter, Laurel Azaula and husband, Eric, Cheshire, Conn.; his brother, Frank Musser and wife, Elaine, Petersburg, Pa.; his brother-in-law, Francis Finley, Cranberry Township, Pa.; granddaughters, Morgan Hessel, and Grace and Isabelle Azaula; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held on April 27, 2024, at 11 a.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church, in Kennebunk.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Owls Head Transportation Museum, P.O. Box 277, Owls Head, ME 04854 or the Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 43, West Kennebunk, ME 04094.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Henry’s book of memories page at bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 111 Chapel Road, Wells, ME 04090.
