Alexander Hamilton McLean, age 77, of Orono, Maine died at the Maine Veterans Home - Bangor on Tuesday, October 7th just after nine in the morning. He was born on March 22, 1948, in Madawaska, (Madtown) Maine to the late Douglas and Dorothy (Hamilton) McLean.
Al, as he was known, graduated from Ricker Classical Institute in Houlton in 1966 and attended Ricker College until he enlisted in the Air Force. Through indirection, Al found his direction. He taught English to Vietnamese Air Force Officers in Saigon, which led him to a lifetime of teaching. When Al left the Air Force he went to the University Maine Fort Kent. He met his guru on his first day in Medieval History Class and was given the life-long gift of philosophy and poetry. Al always referenced a beautiful Zen quote that encapsulated this moment, "When the student is ready, the master will arrive."
Al first taught in the Valley in Aroostook County, (two years at Wisdom High School and two years at Fort Kent High School). He taught four years at George Steven's Academy in Blue Hill. He finished his career teaching Literature at Orono High School for 28 years. One of his goals as a teacher was to not leave as a "burnout." On his final day, like every day that he taught, he giddily skipped to his car in the parking lot.
Al led a life of creativity and imagery and found great delight in words and his muse from poems and poetic lines every day. He taught inside and outside the classroom, inspiring many people to seek, to love, to devour poetry. In addition to filling his life with literature, Al loved ALL sports, especially basketball. As a kid in Madawaska, he would spend hours in the basement creating worlds and shooting hoops. He collected sports cards and knew innumerable trivial statistics such as Larry Bird's shoe size. He was an Eagle Scout and worked as a counselor at Camp Roosevelt in Eddington, Maine. He had a deep love for North Carolina Basketball and was a big fan of former UNC coaches Roy Williams and Dean Smith.
Al is survived by three daughters who he referred to as his 'Three Graces' and four grandchildren. His daughter, Heather Jo McLean and her daughter, Phoebe, his daughter, Airdrie Anne McLean and her son, Ajax, and his daughter, Alexandra Gillian (McLean) Martin and her husband, Todd and their two sons, Sparks and Wolfie.
Al is survived by his older brother, Regal McLean (the Biggest) and his wife, Louise McLean, his nephew, Douglas McLean and his wife, Angela and their two children, Fergus and Nina, and his niece, Christina McLean. Al is also survived by countless former students, many who say he changed their lives. One of Al's dearest friends and former student, Nate Ballard, passed away too early in 2017.
Special thanks to dear friends, Erika and Dan Dixon, Chris Luthin, Brian and Cheryl Gallant, Zac Pelleriti, and Shawna McMullen as well as the staff at the Maine Veterans Home - Bangor and VA Home-based Primary Care team, all who visited and cared for Al.
A memorial gathering will be held on October 15, 2025, from 4PM - 6PM at the Orono Brewing Company, 61 Margin Street, Orono, Maine, which will include honoring Al through the reading of poems and a military salute.
One of the many things that Al would say was, "We are all flawed. Love your crooked neighbor with your crooked heart."
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