Dr. Albert R. Amalfitano

WATERVILLE – It is with sadness that we announce the loss of Dr. Albert R. Amalfitano, 93, who passed away Sept. 5, 2024, at Northern Lights Inland Hospital in Waterville. Albert was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on Oct. 1, 1930, the last child to Candida and Aniello Amalfitano, immigrants from Forio d’Ischia, Italy. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, Winifred (Wheeler), his siblings, Michael, Joseph, Laura Cifala, Mary Curtius, Celeste, Louis, and Anthony, and his grandson, Michael. He is survived by his nine children, Lee, (and his partner Michele), Laurie Thornberg, Cathie (Don) White, Joni, Mark (Sara), Neil (Kim), Nic Lee (Nyari), Bryant Lee, and Jonathan Lee; his grandchildren, Matthew, Hannah, Kaitlin, Lauren, Rachel, Dana, Dominic, Dimitri, Anthony, Benjamin, Giovanni, Marchesa, and Vivianna; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and their children.

After graduation from high school, Albert attended both the University of Maryland and Temple University. He was a member of the Iota Tau Sigma Fraternity. He was also a member of the Army National Guard. He followed the footsteps of his older brothers, Joe and Lou, and his brother-in-law, John Cifala, to begin a long lineage of osteopathic physicians that continues to this day. He graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1956. He then completed his internship at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital. He married Winifred on May 4, 1957, and they moved to Bangor, where he completed his general surgery residency at James A. Taylor Osteopathic Hospital. They relocated to Waterville in 1962, where he joined the practice of Marshall Gerrie Sr. He would remain in Waterville, practicing for more than 50 years, devoted to and proudly caring for the people of this town as a highly respected surgeon and family physician. He was a maverick in the earlier days of his career, performing many surgeries that are now further specialized, including ENT, obstetrics, and orthopedic procedures. He also performed some of the first laparoscopic appendectomies ever done in the United States.

During his long career, he served many years as a board member for the Maine Osteopathic Association. He served as president in 1968 and received numerous awards which include the 1984 Roswell P. Bates DO Public Service Award, the 1994 Distinguished Service Award (the highest honor given by the MOA), and the 2011 Sandra Featherman, Ph.D. Osteopathic Champion Award. Through the years, he enjoyed educating and mentoring countless medical students and interns. In addition, he served as a state medical examiner for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. He also frequently performed pilot physicals for the FAA. At the age of 83, he finally retired from his medical practice.

Albert’s favorite pastime was aviation. In the 1970’s, he owned and piloted a twin-engine Piper Apache. He spent many hours at Robert LaFleur Airport in Waterville, flying his plane and taking his children for rides. He loved his annual vacations with his wife and children to Wilmington, Del., Ocean City, Md., and Easton, Pa., to spend time with his large extended family. He also enjoyed spending the summers relaxing at his camp on Salmon Lake in Belgrade. He believed strongly in fixing what was broken rather than replacing it with new, and because of this philosophy, he was always working on projects around the house and camp.

His twilight years were, as expected, quiet. He spent this time residing and was cared for at Northern Light Continuing Care, Lakewood. As was the case with his wife, Winifred, twenty years before, the Amalfitano family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Lakewood for their loving care and support.

A memorial visit for family and friends will be held on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, from 10-11 a.m., at Veilleux-Redding-Lawry Brothers, 8 Elm Street, Waterville, Maine to be followed by a Celebration of Life. Burial will occur at the Saint Francis Cemetery family plot.

For online condolences, please visit http://www.vrlfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America,

322 8th Avenue, 16th Floor,

New York, NY 10001.