Submitted by Gerald Bell

PORTLAND, MAINE — George R. Morrill passed away on March 18 at the of age 79 after a long, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born April 30, 1942, in Portland and was the son of Gardner and Ruth Morrell of Harrison, Maine. George grew up in Harrison and was a graduate of Bridgton High School, class of 1960, where he played basketball and was standout baseball pitcher. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Maine at Portland Gorham.

George went on to complete his Juris Doctor at the Portland Law School passing the bar in 1967. Within a few years, he joined his father at MADE Auto Auction in Gray.

Later, he opened George R. Morrill Auctions where he held estate auctions on a regular basis, conducting his annual Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday sales. He had extensive knowledge of all aspects of the antique and estate business. His love and specialties were early American furniture, accessories, and primitives. Each August, he held an annual Bridgton Town Hall auction where he featured high-end antiques, special items selected from local estates for this once-a-year sale. The auction was attended by dealers throughout the eastern United States. George was considered one of the premiere auctioneers in Maine and New England and was noted for his quick wit and humor. Many times, people came to see George perform and the merchandise was secondary to his auctioning skills.

George was an avid fisherman enjoying his many fishing trips with his friends, especially the late Rodney Paine. They traveled to the Arctic on several occasions to fish for salmon and Arctic char. He enjoyed playing billiards and had many friends in the billiards community. In his younger days, George was ranked as one of the top ten players in New England and he helped sponsor many protégé players in Maine. He had a collection of stories about his life experiences that he enjoyed relating to all his auctions, fishing and billiards. He will be missed.

George is survived by his two brothers Roger Morrill of Bridgton, Maine, and Gardner Morrill of Gardiner, Maine.

A celebration of life was held at 1 pm on April 2 at Bridgton Alliance Church, Bridgton, Maine, with friends and family attending and a reception later, sharing stories of George’s life.