SKOWHEGAN – He took your senior pictures, photographed your wedding, and did your family portraits. He would guide you to the perfect pose and help you smile. The camera would flash, and he would say, “luvely.” If you live in the Skowhegan area, chances are you have one or more of his photographs hanging on your wall.

Peter Foxwell, 89, a man of great talent and quick wit, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at Mount Joseph Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Waterville after battling the aftermath of strokes and dementia for the last year and a half. Peter was born on August 26, 1934, in London, England, two minutes after his identical twin brother, Alan, about which Peter would jokingly say, “I kicked him out – couldn’t stand the smell.” He was one of three sons of Kathleen Helena (Ball) Foxwell and Albert Foxwell.

Peter attended schools in London, during which time he began his life-long love of music, taking private lessons on double bass. After school, he joined the British Army for a 6-year enlistment that took him to British Malaya (now Malaysia) and Germany, among other locales. It was during his military service that he received his degree from the Kneller Hall Military School of Music in Twickenham, England, and played trombone with the famed Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

After emigrating to the United States in 1963, joining his mum and twin brother in Maine, Peter began working in photography, initially for Russ Longley of Longley Studios in Waterville. He then established Peter Foxwell Studio in Skowhegan which was the beginning of a nearly 50-year career in photography. Peter won numerous awards for his portrait photography from the Professional Photographers Associations of Maine and New Hampshire, as well as being the Maine representative to the New England Professional Photographers Association.

A talented musician who played trombone as well as electric and upright bass, Peter performed with countless bands, combos, and other music groups throughout Central Maine in genres from classical to Dixieland. Among those groups are the Skowhegan Community Band, Kennebec Performing Arts Company, Augusta Symphony Orchestra, and the Sunday Project. Perhaps his favorite genre was brass quintet, being a founding member of the Skowhegan Brass Quintet which he led for over 40 years. Peter and his wife Louise founded the Skowhegan Summer Concert Series in the mid-1990s, a series which continues today to offer Sunday afternoon concerts in Coburn Park in Skowhegan.

Peter was also a gifted artist, mainly painting with oils. His favorite theme was the American west, and he was especially adept at painting horses. Peter won many ribbons at the Skowhegan State Fair for his paintings and some Best in Show awards as well. He immensely enjoyed being a part of the Art Club sponsored by Skowhegan Community Education for several years. Like many members of his family, Peter was an avid reader and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.

Peter was predeceased by his mother, Kathleen (Kit) Ceadel, father Albert Foxwell, stepfather Arthur Ceadel; brother, Colin Foxwell and his wife Shirley, and sister, Lyn Ceadel Allen.

Peter is survived by his wife of 26 years, Louise, twin brother Alan and wife Sheila; son Gary Foxwell and wife Janet; grandchildren Amy Colley and husband Robin, Michael, Benjamin and Oliver Foxwell; great granddaughters Evie and Eliza Colley; and much-loved nieces and nephews and their children.

The family would like to thank the staff on Memory Lane at Mount Joseph and MaineGeneral Hospice for their special care of Peter and help and support for Louise.

A Celebration of Life will take place in Skowhegan at a future date.

Please visit Peter’s memorial page at https://dsfuneral.com/obituaries/peter-foxwell where condolences, photos, and special memories may be shared.