Zebulun Carpenter Leavitt
BGORHAM – It’s with profound unhappiness amongst his many adoring household and associates that we grieve the misplaced lifetime of Zebulun Carpenter Leavitt, 20, who tragically died on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in a automobile accident in Gorham, Maine.
Zeb was born into richness and love, which shone by way of in his larger-than-life being and soul. He started and lived his life nurtured by three loving dad and mom: Anne Leavitt, Denise Carpenter, and Peter Stickney. From soccer and wrestling to searching and fishing to mechanics, music, spirituality and politics, Zeb was a twenty first Century Renaissance man. He was impassioned with studying and sharing data with others about something and every part, having been uncovered to so lots of his life’s pursuits and pleasures by his dad and mom, grandparents and family members, academics and associates.
Zeb grew up in Gorham and went to Cheverus Excessive Faculty in Portland, graduating in 2018. His freshman 12 months in faculty he studied enterprise with excessive honors at Washington County Neighborhood School in Calais. He then obtained a advantage scholarship and transferred to Saint Joseph’s School in Standish, the place he had simply completed his third semester finding out Theology.
Rising up in Gorham, Zeb constructed robust and lasting friendships, enjoying basketball, using dust bikes, fishing, patrolling downtown on his tandem bike (usually with a number of associates on board), and discovering many wild adventures with the opposite 4 of the “5 Brothers,” Owen Smith, Derek Kuusela, Tanner Garand and Nolan Brown. “We beloved one another and Zeb introduced all of us nearer collectively,” Derek mentioned. Nolan remembers, “we fought and we hugged, we laughed and we cried, we did all of it collectively bud, all us boys.”
He started his workforce sports activities profession enjoying soccer in Gorham. A gifted athlete like his mom Anne, at Cheverus he was a semifinalist for the Gaziano Lineman Award, given to the highest offensive and defensive lineman in Maine highschool soccer. Considered one of his favourite soccer reminiscences was enjoying within the 2018 Lobster Bowl, an all-star recreation that includes Maine’s high seniors the place he befriended many former adversaries, and together with his workforce, the East, defeating the West. His senior 12 months he gained Male Athlete of the 12 months. Cheverus soccer coach Mike Vance described Zeb, his former workforce captain, as a frontrunner who went out of his method to assist others. “He was half hunter, half poet and very clever; he marched to his personal beat.”
Zeb was additionally a star wrestler for Cheverus. When he was a freshman there was just one Cheverus wrestler, Aidan Whitis, who needed to follow with the Deering workforce. Whitis and Cheverus coach Jason Barriault recruited Zeb onto the workforce. Zeb in flip recruited quite a few his soccer associates into the Cheverus wrestling program, making it a aggressive power within the state. A pure chief, Zeb grew to become captain and gained a number of awards for the wrestling workforce. As a junior in 2017, he gained the state Class A championship heavyweight division title.
Impressed by his father Peter who taught music in southern Maine, Zeb was an impressive pure musician. He performed piano, mandolin, tuba, electrical bass and percussion, and realized French horn and string bass and not using a lesson. He not too long ago settled on acoustic guitar and electrical bass. He performed for church providers and lots more and plenty, and had been a member of the Down Easters Barbershop Refrain and Cheverus Jazz Band. In the summertime earlier than eighth grade Zeb toured seven European nations enjoying the French horn with the Sousa Worldwide Honors Band and Choir. He had a good looking singing voice as effectively, which took listeners without warning coming from somebody of his bodily stature.
In flip, Zeb impressed his father: “Zeb was a pure gifted artist. He had a pure artist’s eye for magnificence and nature and an amazing sense of proportion. He knew the right way to set a stone wall. And Zeb LOVED his household. He had a way of the huge area of the Universe.”
Zeb’s love of the Maine open air prompted one grandfather, Nelson Leavitt, to purchase him a lifetime fishing license. His early fishing escapades on the Saco River in Hollis the place his grandparents, Mo and Diane (Dan) Davis lived, resulted in lots of colourful tales of memorable catches and mishaps, together with the sinking of Papa’s canoe throughout an outing together with his good friend, Owen Smith, wherein they misplaced not solely the canoe however poles, sort out field, life jackets – each final bit of substances. One other favourite “fish story” ceaselessly retold between Zeb and Grammie Dan concerned a deer: “We had been fishing collectively within the canoe, and a deer swam proper in entrance of us. I used to be petrified it was going to capsize the canoe. Zeb was so ecstatic, my fear grew to become worry that HE would capsize the canoe!” Extra not too long ago, Zeb loved summer time days trolling for salmon on Sebago Lake together with his good friend, Tanner Garand. He was additionally a passionately conscientious and gifted hunter. He was significantly happy with the 13-point buck that he took within the woods of Newfield Maine; the trophy head nonetheless adorns the wall of his bed room. Dedicated to utilizing each ounce of meat from the sport he took, Zeb was instructing himself the talent of discipline dressing, and was Grammie Dan’s provider of venison for her well-known mincemeat. He earned a Junior Maine Information certification, and this previous summer time started outdoorsman coaching at Maine’s Out of doors Studying Heart in Lincolnville, towards turning into a Registered Maine Information.
Likewise, Zeb’s hobbies and work life concerned being open air, the place he was most at house. Like his mom Anne, a mechanical engineer, he had a pure facility for mechanics and the workings of issues. He labored for his Uncle Brian’s and Aunt Stacie’s firm, Leavitt Earthworks, alongside his cousin Jesse, studying to function massive equipment and having fun with after-hours camaraderie with the crew. He additionally labored on the household farm of his mom Denise (“Nene”) in Newfield, working the fields, baling hay on his tractor (which he started driving at age six) and not too long ago, coaching his pulling steers, Salt and Pepper. Denise describes Zeb’s tireless need to be taught new issues and his calmness when he labored with animals. “He had a energy larger than bodily—he had a energy of character, spirit, caring, camaraderie, honor, loyalty, and integrity—a sort and mild man.” His cousin, Mia Sendrow, remembers, “one of many issues I admired most about Zeb was his capacity to dream, coupled together with his resolve to make his wild schemes a actuality. He all the time gave the impression to be dabbling in new hobbies and pursuing his varied pursuits, increasing his horizons all of the whereas.”
Zeb was adored by his aunts and uncles. He had shut relationships with Aunts Pam and Julie Leavitt and Uncle Peter Davis and their households all through his life, regardless of them residing actually in three totally different corners of the nation. Fortunately for them, as true as he was to his Mainer id, Zeb was a fearless traveler. As a child he flew, generally alone, to go to them, in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Florida. “It was like receiving a bundle of atomic power within the mail! He would arrive, fill the home with love, antics, private sagas, political debate, journey and naughtiness, entertain our associates, after which take off again to Maine till subsequent time. Such an expensive present: nephew, cousin, soul.” He was equally cherished by his Uncle Paul Stickney, who says of Zeb, “He envisioned God as Love. That is one thing that I treasure and have nice peace about.”
Above all else, Zeb was a deeply caring and empathetic human being and thinker, made evident by a tattoo on his arm of a Celtic Cross, a logo of information, energy and compassion, qualities he had in abundance. The Cheverus credo, “Individuals for Others,” ran deep inside him. His senior 12 months he was awarded the Saint Francis Xavier Campus Ministry Award. That 12 months he had helped lead the varsity’s Kairos Retreat, which targeted on constructing group, fostering belief and openness, and inspiring reflection. The retreat had an enduring impression on his coronary heart and soul. It sparked his ardour for full of life engagement and dialogue, and deepened his connections with associates, each previous and new. The entire Cheverus group was vastly necessary to Zeb, offering him with an prolonged household. From friends to academics to folks, the complete Cheverus group was a loving non secular help system for him. Most not too long ago, Saint Joseph’s School offered him publicity to Theology in a small, tight knit group setting, and regardless of COVID, Zeb managed to search out much more friendships there.
The final 12 months of his too-short life was marred by the lack of his shut good friend Rylie. Her passing can be one of many greatest challenges of his life. For a person accustomed to the fixed music of family and friends, this troublesome journey was one which, due to COVID, he largely needed to navigate alone. He confronted his grief with an enormous coronary heart, enjoying his guitar and speaking by way of his feelings together with his mom, Anne.
The household of his good friend Tanner spoke reality to Zeb’s unimaginable presence and humanity in the neighborhood: “Zeb was a fixture in lots of properties in Gorham. His honesty and compassion and willingness to pitch in and get soiled was appreciated and adored by the dad and mom, brothers and sisters of his associates. Zeb was effectively fed wherever he went. At all times certain to assist with dinner dishes after a meal at a good friend’s home, he earned a spot within the hearts of many individuals and was all the time welcomed with open arms and a smile. He all the time entered a house carrying his charming demeanor and bearing presents of laughter, heat, and humility. Zeb’s absence from our residing rooms. our kitchens, and our eating room tables will depart a gaping void in our hearts.”
His mom Anne beloved and admired Zeb with all her coronary heart. Theirs was a profoundly deep and candy bond. “Zeb was an open e-book. I knew the place he stood, how he felt, who he cared about. He beloved to make me chuckle. He instructed me rather a lot, he taught me rather a lot.”
Zeb was predeceased by a number of loving grandparents: Merle (Mo’) “Papa” Davis, Doris “Grammie Growl” Carpenter, and Connie and Don Stickney. He’s survived by many who beloved him and had been enriched by his love and spirit for all times: his mom Anne Leavitt of Gorham, his mom Denise Carpenter of Newfield, his father Peter Stickney of Newfield, his grandmother Diane Davis of Windham, his grandfather Nelson and spouse Rose Leavitt of Augusta, his aunt Pam Leavitt, uncle Joe Sendrow and cousin Mia Sendrow of Redlands, CA, aunts Julie Leavitt and Maria McVarish of San Francisco, CA, uncle Peter Davis and cousin Kai Davis of Fort Myers, FL, uncle and aunt Brian and Stacie Leavitt and cousins Jesse and Kayli Leavitt of Standish, uncle and aunt Paul and Karen Stickney of Portland and his three “sister cousins” Clara, Emily and Dorothy, aunt and uncle Carole Ann and Richard Glueck and cousins Kendra and Tristan Gleuck of Winterport, aunt and uncle Susan and Russell Bushnell and cousin Holli Rachael Bushnell of Rochester, VT, aunt and uncle Betsy and David Bessey and cousins David, Christopher and Joshua Bessey of Brownville, uncle Don Stickney and cousins Everett and Donald Stickney III of Prescott, AZ, and lots of associates together with the “5 Brothers,” Cheverus associates Christian Gilliam, Hannah Abbott and Bobby Holzhacker, and numerous teammates, classmates, workmates, academics, mentors and mentees.
Within the phrases of his finest good friend, Owen Smith, “There isn’t a single day I can bear in mind the place Zeb wasn’t good friend. His solely rule in life was to like others. He believed that in case you may present love in every part you do then there’s no method you can do mistaken. The impact Zeb’s love and compassion has had on the lives of the folks round him is so nice that, though he’s gone, it’s unattainable to speak about him with out it placing a smile in your face.”
We miss and love you a lot pricey Zeb. Fly excessive till we meet once more.
Zeb’s household is planning a Zoom Assembly Memorial on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1pm. We might like to have you ever be part of us to honor Zeb and to share reminiscences. In the event you want to take part, please ship your identify and e mail deal with to Zeb’s Aunt Julie at [email protected] with “Zeb’s Memorial” within the topic line, and she’s going to contact you with directions for becoming a member of the Zoom gathering.
For anybody wishing to make a donation in celebration of Zeb’s life, Maine’s Out of doors Studying Heart has established a scholarship in his reminiscence. Right here is the hyperlink:
http://www.mainesoutdoorlearningcenter.com/zeb-leavitt-scholarship
