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The University of Maine lost a dedicated worker and community member Tuesday.
UMaine carpenter Ronald R. Papa passed away at the age of 60 in his home on Sept. 15 due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“His body was gone, but his mind was just as sharp as it ever was,” said Jim Campbell, carpentry department supervisor.
Papa worked at the university for five years, doing work that included remodeling apartments at the University Park, maintenance in the dorms and kitchens, fixing doors and windows and building elaborate displays for The Marketplace.
“Ron was very highly skilled,” said Director of University Relations Joe Carr. “He was enthusiastic about what he did and took pride in doing it very well. His work was a reflection of his creativity.”
Campbell, Carr and friend and co-worker Mark Gifford all agree Papa was a very busy and determined individual. He loved being outdoors at his house on Phillips Lake or doing various activities from motorcycling to rock climbing. Papa taught himself carpentry, lived in Japan when he was younger, played in a band there and then joined the U.S. Navy to serve his country as an engine man for four years. Once out of the Navy, he moved to New Jersey and lived there for 15 years until he moved to Maine and started his own contracting business, Ron Papa Construction. Eventually he came to UMaine, while still working his business on the side.
“He was very particular about how he wanted things done, so when he had contractors out there doing some work he couldn’t, it was frustrating when he didn’t like what was being done,” Gifford said. “He wanted to be out there to do it, but he couldn’t [once diagnosed].”
“They [doctors] know very little about ALS,” Campbell said. “They don’t know if it is genetic or environmental. It’s a horrible disease, but it’s not prevalent. It’s only like one in 35,000. There’s not that many affected.”
According to alsa.org, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Gifford and Campbell said both Papa’s mother and father did not have any signs or traces of the disease on either side of their families.
Papa’s disease progressed very fast.
“Toward the middle of the summer, he had an episode where he was having a really hard time breathing and the doctor and the nurse came over and said they gave him about two weeks back then, and he lasted this long,” Gifford said.
“Before he found out he had ALS, he came down with prostate cancer, and he had a good outlook to get rid of that. You know, get it over with,” Gifford said. “When he found out he had prostate cancer, the next day they [he and his wife] went out and bought an ultra-classic Harley. He knew that life’s too short.”
Campbell remembers Papa’s outlook on life from a different memory.
“Someone had stopped to see him this summer and they said, ‘Oh, another crappy rainy day,’ and Ron said, ‘You know, if I could be in your shoes, every day would be a great day,’” Campbell said.
A memorial service of remembrance was held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Holden Congregational Church.
