Virgil E. Linnell

Portland - Virgil Elmer Linnell, 88, died peacefully at the Barron Center on January 11, 2021. He was born February 26, 1932 at his parent’s home in Denmark, ME to Victor Rubert and Edna Louise (Curtis) Linnell, one of their ten children. He graduated from Brunswick High School then served in the U.S. Airforce between 1951 and 1954 as an observer and radio operator during the Korean Conflict. On April 28, 1957, he married Patricia Irene Wood and they were parted by her death in 2015.

After moving to Connecticut for employment shortly after their marriage, they returned to Maine in 1967 to raise their three sons, living for many years on Rackleff Street in Portland before later residing in Westbrook.

For much of his career, both in CT and ME, Virgil worked as a draftsman. Later in life, he became a real estate broker and property manager, eventually starting his own successful business, Pioneer Real Estate, from which he retired in 2003.

While living in Durham CT, he was a member of the American Legion – Robert Strickland Post, of which he was twice elected Commander. In Maine, he was an active member of the Cornerstone Lodge No. 216 A.F. & A.M., where he rose to the position of Master and was a recipient of the 32° Scottish rite.

Virgil was an avid genealogist, active in the Linnell Association and a contributor to “The Descendants of Robert Linnell.” One of his proudest achievements as a genealogist was tracing and documenting his mother’s genealogy to Mayflower passenger George Soule. He later became a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants of Maine.

He is survived by his sons: James and wife Diane of Portland, their two daughters - Heather and husband Timothy Koster of Broad Brook, CT and Samantha and husband Charles Hastings of Yarmouth; Stephen and wife Beverly of Bangor, their three children - daughters Amy and husband Paul Gifford of Broomall, PA and Abigail and husband Thomas Pease of Brewer, and son Jason and wife Staci of Bangor; and Andrew of Hollis and his son Zachery of Portland. He also is survived by great-grandchildren Everett, Azariah, Eliza, Madeline, Declan and Phoebe; by two of his sisters, Rebecca Kohler and Nordica Graham, both of Williston, FL; and by many nephews, nieces and cousins.

A private graveside committal service will be held in the spring at the Demeritt Cemetery in East Peru, ME.

Expressions of sympathy can be made in the form of a donation in Virgil’s name to the Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress Street, Portland, ME.

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