Dover-Foxcroft – John Francis Battick, Ph.D., 92, died October 22, 2024, at a Bangor hospital. He was born April 12, 1932, in North Haven, Connecticut, the son of Frank J. and Dorothy (Otto) Battick. As a child he traveled widely due to his father’s career in the U.S. Navy, living for a while in San Diego, California, Shanghai and Tsintao (Quidao), China, San Francisco, Meriden, Connecticut, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Norman, Oklahoma, and Hawaii. Over those years he attended ten different schools, graduating in the class of 1950 at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu. He attended Yale University and Boston University, receiving the Ph.D. from the latter in 1967. He was appointed instructor at Massachusetts Bay Community College in Boston, then Assistant Professor of History at the University of Maine, retiring as Associate Professor at UM in 1997. He served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1954, being appointed Recruit Chief Petty Officer (Commander of Company 2019) at the Recruit Training Center, San Diego, attended enlisted submarine school at New London, and served on board the U.S.S. Hardhead (SS-365) where he qualified in submarines, entitled to wear the coveted silver “dolphins” of that service. In his career he taught basic courses in European and English history, Europe in the Renaissance, and E=Reformation, the Early Modern period, and finally his favorite subjects, maritime and naval history. He published articles in scholarly journals and was a popular speaker off campus. Following his retirement from UM he gave courses at the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft. Jack was a proud lifetime member of Maine Sub Base 1 and a Holland Club member. He was a former member of the Orono-Old Town Kiwanis Club where he served as President, 1986-1987. He was a member of the Maine Genealogical Society and served as President as well as President of the Wassebec Genealogical Society in Dover-Foxcroft. He was an Associate member and Camp Commander of the Daniel Chapman Camp, Department of Maine, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. As a member of the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society he served as co-curator of the society’ museum with his wife, Nancy. He and Nancy jointly published the Maine Genealogical Society three volume Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft and the Vital Records of Piscataquis County. He served as a member of the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board, was a former trustee of the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath and the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport. Over the last years of his life, he wrote the histories of his paternal and maternal families in America, published privately for family members. He was also a former member of the City of Old Town Planning Board, serving as Chairman, and then he served on the Dover-Foxcroft Planning Board. He is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Nancy (Klimavicz)Battick; three sons of a previous marriage, Geoffrey (Gretchen) of Bangor, David and Lee Battick of Orono; three grandchildren, Jakob Battick and Milo Moyer-Battick of California, and Joanna Moyer-Battick of Portland; nephew, Luke Harold Vinson and great-nephew, Nigel Vinson both of Honolulu; former daughter-in-law, Rebecca Moyer of Vermont; two goddaughters, Alicia Marini of Oregon and Angie Marini of South Portland; as well as many cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his sister, Stephanie Simpson. A memorial service with military honors will be held 11AM Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the Lary Funeral Home, 62 Summer Street, Dover-Foxcroft. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.