Joseph Anselm Dinan

Joseph Anselm Dinan, beloved husband, father, grandfather and uncle, died Saturday, June 19th, 2010 peacefully in his sleep. He was 64 years old. The husband of Mary Madigan Dinan and the son of Edward and Catherine Dinan of Portland, Maine. He now rejoins them in Heaven. Joseph Dinan was born in Reading, Massachusetts on February 21st, 1946. He graduated from Cheverus High School where he was a frequent star on the cross country running team. He attended Brown University on a track scholarship. After serving in the Navy, Joseph returned home to Maine, and completed his Masters of Business Administration at the University of Maine. He also continued his education to include a Certified Public Accountant credential. Joseph’s love was his family. He met and married Mary Madigan in Saco, Maine in 1971. Lifelong partners, they shared a love of learning that they passed on to their family. They remained married until her death in December, 2003. Joseph was always by her side during the good times and through the illness that carried her away, proving his depth of character and undying love. He was devoted. Joseph devoured books of all kinds and listened to an eclectic range of music. He would latch on to a subject and research it to its fullest extent. He had a passion for chess, becoming a master chess player and teaching the game to school children as well as his own grandchildren. Sports of all kinds fascinated him. He was a marathon runner and a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox. Thankfully his loyalty paid off and he was able to enjoy a World Series win in 2004 and again in 2007. There was nothing bigger in his life than his children, grand-children and his great-grandson. He truly enjoyed them to the fullest and they too enjoyed his company. He will be remembered as the man who always had the calm response and the right answer. He was a kind man who you could count on for anything. You could not stump him on “define the word”, and if a question ever arose about anything, he was quick to locate the answer. If one of his children or grand-children expressed an interest on any topic they would soon receive a book in the mail covering the subject completely. He too would take an interest and a meaningful conversation on that subject was sure to follow. He was a joy to be near and will be dearly missed. Joseph is survived by his children: Gregory Dinan and wife, Marleyna of Nacogdoches, Tx.; Meaghan Dinan and her husband, Carlos of Austin, Tx.; Steven Dinan of Austin, Tx. He also leaves behind seven grand-children: Ashley, Kelsey, Caitlin, Patrick, Joseph, Natalie and Elena as well as one great-grandson, Hayden Lee Zahn. He is also survived by his twin brother Edward and brothers Peter, Thomas and Christopher. The Addison family and staff of Addison Funeral Home extend condolences to the Dinan family.

Joseph Anselm Dinan

June 19, 2010