Ex-Maine lawmaker MacLeod dies at 78 Colleagues recall friend’s integrity

AUGUSTA – Pragmatic, witty and courageous, Kenneth Parker MacLeod embodied what Mainers cherish most in their political representatives: unflinching honesty and enduring integrity.

A former three-term president of the Maine Senate and prominent State House lobbyist, MacLeod died Tuesday afternoon after a struggle with cancer. He was 78.

His long-term friend and confidante, Joseph Sewall of Castine, was among the last to say goodbye Tuesday afternoon in a Bangor hospital to the well-liked Republican and veteran of two wars. Sewall, also a former president of the Maine Senate, recalled his buddy fondly as a modest public servant who loved Maine and its people.

“He was just a good guy, a hard worker who looked after his constituents,” Sewall said. “I think he liked to think of himself as a tough guy, but inside he was kind of a softy. And, you know, he had a heart of gold.”

According to records on file with the Maine Senate, MacLeod was born in Skowhegan, on Feb. 14, 1923. He grew up in Brewer and attended local schools. After attending the University of Maine at Orono for two years, he interrupted his studies to join the Army Air Corps in 1942.

MacLeod roared through the skies as a fighter pilot in the Pacific theater during World War II. He returned to his home state after the surrender of Japan and went on to graduate from the University of Maine in 1947. After serving his country once, MacLeod enlisted again at the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. He flew more than 30 combat missions in an F-80 jet fighter. Like many of those who have come to be known as “the greatest generation,” MacLeod rarely discussed his experiences as a pilot.

Returning to civilian life, MacLeod launched a successful career as a life insurance agent. His first experience in politics was gained as a member of the Brewer City Council. He went on to serve six years on the Brewer school board.

Acquiring a taste for GOP politics and public service, MacLeod was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1962. After an unsuccessful attempt at the 2nd District congressional seat in 1964, he served four consecutive terms in the Maine Senate from 1967 through 1974.

Elected president of the Maine Senate in 1969, MacLeod held the presiding officer’s post through 1974, becoming the first president to win election for three consecutive terms. He lost a Senate primary bid in 1974 to Ted Curtis of Orono and became an effective lobbyist a year later, serving as executive director of the Maine Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association. The time away from public office allowed him to develop a mild addiction to salmon fishing which he nurtured for the remainder of his life, with frequent trips to Canada and many mornings at the Penobscot Salmon Club.

Although outwardly conservative, MacLeod understood the importance of pragmatism and led the Senate through a period of some of the most progressive legislation in Maine history. Under his watch, the Legislature approved a referendum question that resulted in the imposition of the first state income tax, new environmental legislation, and the restructuring of the local educational subsidy program. He cast the deciding vote that affirmed the state’s support for the national effort to enact the Equal Rights Amendment.

“There were a lot of people sitting in the Senate who wanted to see it passed – including the governor’s wife,” Sewall said. “It was quite a dramatic thing at the time.”

Former Gov. Kenneth Curtis was a Democratic chief executive who had to contend with a Republican Legislature during MacLeod’s tenure. Although they frequently disagreed on partisan issues, politics never came before the best interests of Maine’s people or their government.

“He was a very good friend and someone I enjoyed working with a great deal,” Curtis said.

Former state Sens. Bennett Katz, an Augusta Republican, and Peter S. Kelley, a Democrat from Caribou, both recalled MacLeod as fair, tough and a “straight shooter,” whose positions never were clouded by partisan rhetoric.

“There weren’t any backroom deals with Ken,” Kelley said. “He treated the minority party fairly and he was always ethical.”

“I served with about 1,000 legislators in my time, and Ken was about the best of the bunch,” Katz said.

MacLeod’s political star was setting in the Legislature at the same time John L. Martin’s was rising. Now a state senator from Eagle Lake, Martin was elected as speaker of the House the year MacLeod left office. The Aroostook County Democrat had come to know the GOP stalwart well when he was the Democratic minority leader in the House during the early 1970s.

“You may not have liked what you got for an answer from him, but you always got an answer,” Martin said. “He led the charge on some difficult issues during his time. He was also an effective lobbyist because he had good information and he always told the truth.”

Other Maine political luminaries shared their memories of MacLeod Tuesday evening, including Gov. Angus S. King who often squared off against him when both were competing lobbyists on environmental issues at the State House.

“He was a real prince of a guy who didn’t take himself too seriously,” King said. “We had a wonderful relationship and he proved to be a very competent leader during a crucial moment in Maine’s history. His passing is a great loss to Maine.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she was saddened to learn of MacLeod’s death, remarking that he had been a great community supporter who left “a lasting impression” on the state’s political landscape. Sen. Olympia Snowe and her husband, former Gov. John R. McKernan, praised MacLeod as “an inspiring example for a generation of political leaders.”

“Jock and I will miss him, and our thoughts are with his family,” Snowe said. “Maine has lost a great leader; we have lost a good friend.”

MacLeod was predeceased by two wives and was the father of six children. Funeral services will be announced.