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Friars’ Brewhouse Tap Room co founder, Brother Don, as he’s known around Bucksport, has died.
Donald Paul Martel died Tuesday, the friars announced Thursday morning in a social media post.
Friars’ Brewhouse Tap Room opened in 2018 as part of the Franciscans of Bucksport and was the first taproom in Bucksport.
The Franciscans said Brother Donald Paul Martel always had a passion for brewing beer and decided to bring that love to their friends and customers.
But Thursday, the Tap Room posted on Facebook that Martel died on Tuesday, and they were posting a sign on the door of the tap room saying “Permanently Closed.”
The Brewhouse wrote, “We thank all of our patrons and friends who have supported our endeavors over the years. The stark reality is that…now that the taproom is closed our income has ended with it. We really could use your assistance. If anyone could commit to making a monthly contribution in any amount to help support Brother Kenneth and Brother Stephen it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.”
What was Friars’ Brewhouse co-founder cause of death?
The cause of Donald Paul Martel ‘s death is unknown at this moment, however it has been revealed that Brother Don died in his car Wednesday at the boat launch on Jacob Buck Pond.
Somewhere in 2014, Brother Don had a heart attack and people donated money toward medical expenses.
He had emergency cardiac surgery to restore a greatly compromised blood flow to his heart.
Who was Donald Paul Martel?
Donald Paul Martel was one of three members of the Franciscan Brothers of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, an Episcopalian subset.
He grew up as Donald Martel a few hours away, in Biddeford.
Before donning friar’s robes, he studied culinary arts and music and got a part-time music-teaching job at Holy Angels School in Lynn, Massachusetts.
There, he hit it off with principal Ken Soucy, now Brother Kenneth Leo.
When the school closed, in the mid-’90s, the duo headed to Maine, planning to build a religious retreat.
Instead, they took vows and founded the friary.
Since then, they’ve held public Sunday services twice a month, added one other member, and, for 19 years, run a bakery in Bangor.
