SOUTH PORTLAND — Robert Thomas McTigue Sr., 81, of South Portland, died on Nov. 20 at his residence following a long illness.
He was born in Portland, the son of Thomas Patrick and Madeline E. Murphy McTigue. He grew up on Peaks Island and attended Cathedral Grammar School and Portland High School. Robert was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corp. as a young man.
Following high school he worked briefly for the Maine Central Railroad. McTigue later accepted a job as a warehouseman with E.G. Foden’s Wholesale Tobacco and Candy Company. He retired from the Portland School Department in 1994 after more than 20 years of service.
McTigue married the former Dorothy M. Sullivan on Nov. 28, 1958, at St. Christopher’s Church.
He was a longtime communicant of St. Christopher’s Church where he sang for many years at the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. He played Santa for several years and was an honorary member of American Legion Post No. 142 of Peaks Island. McTigue was involved with the Boy Scouts as an assistant leader for several years.
In 1984 he and his family moved to South Portland. He called his home “The Castle” and especially enjoyed spending time in his garage or at the table near the fire pit. He was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
He was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy, in 2005; and a daughter, Barbara Davis in 2001.
McTigue is survived by five daughters, Bonnie Petillo, of South Portland, Cindy Dennison, of South Portland, Deborah Dow, of Scarborough, Mary Ann Graffam, of South Portland, and Margaret Tuttle of South Portland; five sons, Benjamin Smith, of Portland, Donald Smith, of Westbrook, Dennis Emerson, of Windham, Robert T. McTigue Jr., of Falmouth, and Michael McTigue, of South Portland; 26 grandchildren; and 32 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held Nov. 22, 2013, at Conroy-Tully Crawford in South Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 23 at Holy Cross Church, South Portland. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: VNA and Hospice, 50 Foden Road, South Portland, ME 04106.
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