South Portland- Bernard Joseph Pagurko age 88 of Running
Hill Road and formerly of Raymond and Topsham died Sunday, January 31st
at his residence.
He was born in Topsham on December 8, 1932 the son of Joseph
and Sophie Belanger Pagurko. Mr. Pagurko was a 1952 graduate of Brunswick High
School. He earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration from The
University of Southern Maine in 1958. His college education was interrupted by
his service to his country in the Army during the Korean Conflict until 1954.
On June 16, 1956, he married Nancy Giroux at St. Charles
Borromeo Church in Brunswick.
Mr. Pagurko worked at Union Mutual Insurance until 1965 in
the Controller’s Department and as a Supervisor of the Insurance Accounting
Department. He then worked at Wright and Pierce Civil Engineers in Topsham as a
controller.
On January 17, 1970, Mr. Pagurko was appointed Postmaster of
Topsham by President Lyndon B. Johnson and was the last Postmaster being sworn
in on January 31, 1970 under the political system.
After retiring from the Post Office in 1992, he then worked eight
years seasonally for L.L. Bean’s at the distribution center.
Mr. Pagurko enjoyed spending winters in Florida and loved
the Disney World atmosphere. He also enjoyed traveling, hiking, mountain
climbing, line dancing, carpentry, reading and relaxing by the water.
Surviving besides his wife Nancy Giroux Pagurko of South
Portland are three daughters, Susan Gervais and her husband George of
Hendersonville, TN; Sandra McLellan and her husband John of Topsham and Jane
Baker of Augusta. A son, Mark Pagurko and his wife Laurie of Topsham and a
sister, Georgette Miller of Harpswell. He is also survived by seven
grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a sister Joyce Brown.
Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, Feb. 3rd
from 2-4 PM at Stetson’s Funeral Home 12 Federal St. Brunswick. A private Mass
of Christian Burial will be held at St. Charles Borromeo Church-All Saints
Parish. Mask are required and COVID-19 restrictions will be followed. Spring Interment
will be in the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery 163 Mt. Vernon Road in Augusta.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Honor
Flight Maine PO Box 1770 Portland, ME 04104-1770
Memorial condolences may be expressed at
stetsonsfuneralhome.com