Dr. Brian Rines ’63

Dr. Brian Rines ’63 died on November 25, 2011, in South Gardiner, Maine, after battling a rare degenerative muscle disease and a more recent diagnosis of leukemia.

He was born in Gardiner on August 30, 1941, and graduated from Gardiner High School. After Bowdoin, where he was a member of Delta Sigma fraternity, he studied one year at the University of Maine, then earned his doctorate from the University of South Carolina in 1974. He completed his residency in clinical psychology at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. He worked at Pineland Hospital and the Kennebec Valley Mental Health Center before entering private practice. He served as chair of the Maine Hospital Association, Kennebec Valley Mental Health Center, the American Hospital Association’s Northeast Regional Committee on Governance, Spring Harbor Hospital, Maine General Health Center, and the Board of Examiners of Psychologists. He was a member of the Board of Gardiner General Hospital and a trustee of the American Hospital Association’s Regulatory Policy Board and the board of Maine Mental Health Partners at Maine Health. He qualified as an “expert” in more than 2,000 cases before superior, district, and probate courts in Maine. He also qualified as an expert in the federal district courts of Maine, Delaware, and Connecticut, and he continued to practice up to the time of his death. An active Democrat, he served two years on the Gardiner planning board and six on the city council and was elected mayor for seven consecutive terms from 1992 to 2006. During his tenure, he helped lead the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront, creation of the Libby Hill Business Park, and establishment of a revolving loan fund for small businesses. He also served on the board of the Gardiner Public Library, of which he was a lifelong supporter. He was the past chair of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce and a member of the University of Maine Augusta Board of Visitors. He was appointed by Gov. John Baldacci to serve as chairman of the Advisory Commission on Health System Development, a role he filled until 2011. He was also chairman of the finance committee of Christ Episcopal Church in Gardiner, where he was a vestryman. He is survived by Nancy Gazzillo Rines, his wife of 42 years; a son, Marc Rines; two daughters, Emily Rines Feeley and Sarah Rines; one granddaughter; and a brother, Rudi Rines.

1 Comment Dr. Brian Rines ’63

  1. Tom Reed

    I remember Brian well as a fraternity brother at Bowdoin. His nickname was Melon and he had a dog named Melonie, both for obvious reasons. We had lots of laughs, Melon. Rest well.

    Reply

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