SOUTH THOMASTON — Neil Perry Payson, 73, died peacefully, Sunday, February 9, 2025.

Born in Rockland, May 18, 1951, he was the son of Harold Herman (Dynamite) Payson and Amy Rackliff Payson. He attended Guilford Butler School, Rockland District Junior High, and graduated from Rockland District High School in 1969. In high school, Neil was very active in Key Club, student council, and the Kippy Carnival Planning Committee. He played a six string and bass guitar in many school functions and joined the high school band his senior year playing the sousaphone. He found a passion in music while in high school. He also found what would be a lifelong passion in the teaching of mathematics.

Neil was accepted into the Secondary Mathematics program at Gorham State College (USM) in the fall of 1969. Upon graduating, Neil was offered and accepted a teaching position at Wiscasset High School. While there, he was a class advisor, ran the bowling club, started a ski club, and started the Math Team.

After his first two years, he welcomed his first child into this world. After four years, he was expecting his second child and decided to move back to his family’s fourth generation homestead in South Thomaston. He became part of the land and the land became part of him.

He was offered and accepted a math teaching position at Medomak Valley High School where he served as student council advisor and math team assistant coach for 30 years. In 1979, he welcomed his third child into this world.

In 1981, Neil received his master’s degree in education from USM and was directly offered a part-time job teaching math at UMA Rockland center where he taught for 35 years.

Neil’s other passion was his lobstering, which he did for 57 years. He particularly enjoyed meeting new people and introducing them to the lobstering business. Neil took roughly 35 people out on the water each year. He met lifelong friends from all over the world. He especially delighted in taking the school’s foreign exchange students out on the water and then having a lobster bake. He loved sharing stories and often told the story of the actor Tom Wilkinson wearing Neil’s Levi Jeans in the movie “In The Bedroom” which was filmed locally.

On the family homestead, Neil spent many hours working the land and turned it into a field, a ball field, a vast playground, and a pond. His kids and family spent lots of hours enjoying the area. In 2021 he and his relatives built a family pavilion in honor of their grandmother, Edna Rackliff. This has been the site for formal and family gatherings, including weddings. Neil always cherished family gatherings and loved doing big family cookouts.

Neil was predeceased by his parents, and his older brother, David Howard Payson.

He is survived by his three children, Darren Neil Payson and his wife Janet Oprendek, Laura Ritter, Jeffrey Neil Payson and his wife Amanda; five grandchildren, Julia Payson, Tyler Ritter, Brody Ritter, Kelsey Payson and Aleah Shay; his sisters, Joy Wyatt, Lisa Payson; and his brother Timothy Payson.

Family and friends are invited to visit Friday, February 14, 2025, from 1 to 2 p.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland, where a celebration of his life will be held immediately following at 2 p.m. To share a memory with the Payson family or to view a live-stream of the service, please visit Neil’s Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com then ‘Photos and Videos’ Tab, then ‘Watch Webcast’.

A gathering of love and remembrance will be held this summer, Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 12 Noon, at Grammy’s Park, Pleasant Beach Road in South Thomaston. All are invited to bring a favorite dish to share.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Neil P. Payson Memorial Scholarship Fund ℅, Medomak Valley High School, 320 Manktown Road, Waldoboro, ME 04572.