NORTH ANSON – J. Dean Pakulski PhD, 68, of North Anson, passed away Monday, July 29, 2024, at his home. He was born Sept. 6, 1955, in Lewiston, the son of Dr. Francis and Dora Lou (Campbell) Pakulski.

He attended Jay High School and graduated from Gould Academy in 1973. He went to college at University of Maine at Orono and received his BS in Biology in 1977, then received his MS in Marine Sciences in 1982 and his PhD in 1990 at University of Georgia Athens.

His career took him all over the world. He worked on research ships in the Sargasso Sea and eventually went on to do research with the National Science Foundation in the Antarctic at the US stations in Palmer, McMurdo, as well as the New Zealand Scott Base. He received the Antarctic Service Medal for his 17 months of work on the Continent. He worked with the Canadian Arctic research team out of Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland, spending several months on an ice breaker above 80° N in the Kane basin west of Greenland. His last major expedition was the Mega Transect of the Pacific on the US research ship Nathaniel Palmer. He started at Nome, Alaska and ended prematurely in the pack ice after drifting five days with a broken propeller shaft off of McMurdo Station in the Antarctic Ocean.

Dean published over 30 papers in scientific journals including co-authoring papers in Science and Nature. He also worked with the Smithsonian Institution on an ongoing project of lakes in Pennsylvania.

On returning to Maine, he taught Anatomy and Physiology, Organic Chemistry, and Marine Biology at KVCC, CMCC, and UMF, before retiring.

Dean was a talented musician, sculptor, pottery maker and artist. And he made some good hard cider too! Dean was “Uncle Tubby” to his nieces and nephews. He was a real character! If you knew him, you had a good story to tell about his adventures. Or misadventures!

Dean is survived by his three brothers, Dr. Alex Pakulski and wife Mardi of Norridgewock, Scott Pakulski of Portland, Todd Pakulski of North Yarmouth and sister Andrea Haigney and husband Bill of Rye, NY and Wayne, Maine. He also leaves several nephews and nieces, Zack, Michael, Candace, Emily, Patrick, Jimmy, Katie Lou, Liam, Nolan; and many cousins. He was predeceased by his parents.

A private interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery 445 Park Street, Livermore Falls, Maine. A celebration of life will be held at the Androscoggin Yacht Club in Wayne, Maine, on Saturday Sept. 14, 1 – 6 p.m.

Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.finleyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements by FINLEY FUNERAL HOME, 15 Church Street, Livermore Falls, Maine.