Friday, March 8, 2019

A life of service

From time to time, we profile a member. Our folks have led interesting lives! Check the "Notes" section on our Facebook page for earlier posts featuring some of our people. Meanwhile, enjoy Lin Lufkin's story:


Lin Lufkin, Vice President of Penobscot Valley Senior College, has led a life of service. Born in Levant, Maine, Lin and his lovely wife, Mabel, have raised 4 children and have been blessed with 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Lin is very involved in his church, the North Brewer/Eddington Methodist Church as well as being an active participant in the Bangor Rotary Club, the Habitat for Humanity, and our very own PVSC. In addition, Lin was an active duty member of the Army Corps of Engineers for 21 years, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Along the way, Lin graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, later gaining a Master’s degree from Texas A&M in Civil Engineering and studying International Relations at the Army’s War College in Carlisle, PA. During his time with the Corps of Engineers, Lin participated in the dewatering of the Eisenhower Lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway, studying the structural integrity of its walls. He was part of a team, in 1969 that diverted the water from the American Falls at Niagara to the Horseshoe Falls, so that the Corps of Engineers could study the riverbed and the faults, and stabilize points being affected by hydraulic pressure.

During his military career, Lin was stationed for a time in Germany, was part of the First Calvary Division in Vietnam, and also was stationed at the Pentagon.  Following Lin’s retirement from the Army, he went to work for the Cianbro Corp in Pittsfield, Me., building bridges. He later joined Nickerson & O’Day of Brewer. With them he participated in some of the memorable projects in our area, including the expansion of the Bangor Public Library, the Buchanan Alumni House in Orono, and the innovative Camden Library addition, constructed completely underground.

Now retired, Lin volunteers many hours per week with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that has built over 20 houses in our area, Lin Lufkin is indeed a man of service! We are so fortunate to have him serve as our Vice President of Penobscot Valley Senior College.