Press Releases
Contact:
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Contact: Doug Rafferty - 287-5248 |
|
February 6, 2013
Obituary - Major Gregory Sanborn
Sidney - Gregory W. Sanborn,
Gregg was born on November 11, 1965, in Bridgton, Maine, the son of Harold and Blanche (Woods)
Sanborn. He graduated from Fryeburg Academy with the class of 1984 and received his bachelor’s
degree from the University of Southern Maine in 1988. He taught industrial arts at Valley High School in
Bingham and Molly Ockett Middle school in Fryeburg.
Major Gregg Sanborn
Gregg Sanborn’s life-long dream to become a Maine Game Warden became a reality in 1990 after
graduating from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Waterville and from the Maine Warden School,
which was held at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Barring. Gregg’s first assignment as a new
game warden was in the southernmost part of Maine, where he was assigned to the Kittery district. His
upbringing in a rural part of Maine did not hinder his ability to settle in and meet the challenges of a
highly populated area of the state. Gregg’s ability to develop meaningful relationships within local
communities and within the law enforcement community became one of his hallmarks. He believed in
the mission of the Maine Warden Service and he used every available resource to not only meet those
goals, but also to broaden and enhance them. Gregg met his wife Deb (Currier) and their son David of
South Berwick and were married in 1994. Current Chief of Police in Eliot and retired Maine State Police
Lieutenant Ted Short, states, “When I met Warden Sanborn, the new district warden in the Kittery area,it was instantly clear that he was proud to be a Maine Game Warden. From that moment on, we
worked, snowmobiled, and hunted together, but above all else, Gregg became a trusted friend. We
chose our respective professions to make a difference and Gregg truly did”.
In 1993, Warden Sanborn transferred from the Kittery District to the Sebago District, which is one of the
busiest districts in the state. Fellow Game Warden, Neal Wykes, and Gregg instantly became effective
co-workers and best friends. Warden Wykes states, Gregg became a good and loyal friend. You will not
meet a more or dedicated game warden than Warden Sanborn”. Warden Sanborn’s professionalism and
demeanor enabled him to affect positive change not only with his co-workers, but also within the
sporting community. Nat Berry, IV was Gregg’s lieutenant at the time he patrolled the Kittery and
Sebago districts. Lt. Berry stated, “To my surprise, Gregg settled in and patrolled the districts with more
enthusiasm than I had ever seen in the busiest and most populated districts in the State of Maine. Gregg
had a knack of interacting with the public and at the same time he wrote more summons and warnings
than any warden before or after him and the amazing part was he never generated a letter of complaint. Gregg continued living and patrolling the Sebago district until he was promoted to sergeant in
November 1997.
His career as a sergeant started in Calais until he transferred to Lincoln where he, Deb and David moved
into their first home. Gregg’s lieutenant while working in the Lincoln area was Pat Dorian. According to
Lt. Dorian, “Gregg had extraordinary common sense and had a gift for reading a person’s body language. He had a keen sense of fairness and he believed in doing what was right for the entire agency. He could
look at the big picture and understand how it would impact the Maine Warden Service.”
In August 2004, Gregg was promoted to Major and was assigned to Augusta. As Major, Gregg was in a
position that afforded him the opportunity to affect the direction of the agency. Major Sanborn worked
tirelessly to uphold professional standards and to ensure that the agency was meeting the demands of a changing social and economic environment. He was very proud to have reestablished the five divisions
within the state. He played a key role in obtaining the resources to modernize the department’s
equipment and technological capabilities. As Major, he understood that the heart and soul of the
department and the future success of the agency as the true stewards of Maine’s resources was the
ability to hire men and women who shared his passion and dedication. He was instrumental in
implementing a hiring process that recruited wardens who will insure that the Maine Warden Service
will be prepared for all future challenges.
He is survived by his loving wife, Deborah Sanborn of Sidney; son, David Currier of Sidney; mother,
Blanche Sanborn of Fryeburg; brother, Timothy Sanborn and wife, Andrea, of Standish.
He was predeceased by his father, Harold Sanborn in 2005.
Services:
Visiting hours will be held on Friday February 8
th, at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy located at 15
Oak Grove Road in Vassalboro, Maine from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday February 9
th, at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy
located at 15 Oak Grove Road in Vassalboro, Maine at 11:00 a.m.
Memorial Donations:
The family has requested donations in lieu flowers be sent to the Maine Warden Service Relief
Association’s Scholarship Fund. Donations can be mailed to MWSA Relief Association Scholarship Fund,
284 State Street, #41 SHS, Augusta Maine 04333-0041.
To leave a message of kindness for the family please visit www.shoreynichols.com
Care has been provided by Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Avenue, Pittsfield.
