Obituary: William Peter McCarty

Maine Football Legend William Peter McCarty Dies at 70

Portland, Maine — William Peter McCarty, a longtime coach who shaped generations of college athletes and a celebrated Bangor High School football star, died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, at Maine Medical Center after a protracted illness. McCarty was 70.

McCarty, known as “Pete” to friends and family, had lived most of his adult life in the Bangor‑Scarborough area of Maine. He was born in Bangor on Jan. 12, 1956, to Walter J. McCarty and Laura “Mame” McCarty. Growing up in the city, the young McCarty fell in love with school because it gave him the chance to play sports and socialize. He excelled in baseball, basketball, and especially football at Bangor High School, where he became a three‑sport star. In 1973 he helped lead the Rams to a Class A state football championship and earned the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy as the state’s top senior player. The following year the Rams won the state baseball title, with McCarty on the roster.

A full‑scholarship offer from UMass Amherst—courtesy of legendary coach Dick MacPherson—brought the Bangor native to the college campus in the early 1970s. There, he was a four‑year starter and co‑captain of the 1977 Minutemen football team, earning all‑conference honors at linebacker. He graduated in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree.

After college, McCarty returned to Bangor as an assistant coach for the Rams under longtime mentor Gabby Price, before coaching at Maine Central Institute. He later joined MacPherson at Syracuse University as a graduate assistant, earning a master’s degree in 1981. Over the next four decades he worked at more than a dozen universities—Syracuse, American International College, Holy Cross, Maryland, Illinois, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Central Florida, Western Michigan, Cornell, Fordham, and New Hampshire—coaching defensive players and mentoring athletes who went on to be NFL draft picks, coaches and business leaders. He coached in bowl games and was known for his emphasis on character, hard work, integrity and empathy. In 2009 he was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. At the ceremony he said, “I’d like to say I’m going in as an individual, but there are many others who helped me get this honor. My parents, my teammates, and my coaches obviously had a major impact.”

Beyond the gridiron, McCarty was a lifelong sports lover, avid reader, movie buff, music enthusiast, and self‑described “dance‑move” master. He was also known for his generosity of spirit, often sparking conversation by asking new acquaintances about their high schools and coaches. Friends remember him as a quiet, gentle presence who always made time for family and friends, whether it was a summer vacation in Kennebunkport, a round of mini‑golf at the Rhumb Line, or a quick stop to watch a game.

McCarty was a father to Cullen and Jackson McCarty, both of whom were with him on his deathbed. He was pre‑deceased by his parents and his brother, Paul McCarty. In his later years, he battled Alzheimer’s disease and primary progressive aphasia, yet he continued to work after retiring from the NCAA. He spent his final work days at Hannaford in Dover, New Hampshire, and later at the Scarborough location, where he was a beloved fixture in the neighborhood.

He was survived by his partner, Betsy Glanville, and a large circle of friends, including Andrew “Sol,” Kevin, Louise, Rich, Heidi, Greg, Marianne, Gabby, Mary, Jimmy, Paul, Anne, John, Rick, Mark, Margaret, Ernie, Terry, Alan, Emily, Chris, Deb, Alison, Sarah, and many others who will miss his warm humor and steadfast presence. In his final days, he received compassionate care from the team at Avita of Stroudwater in Westbrook and from Maine Medical Center staff.

McCarty’s funeral arrangements will be handled by Hobbs Funeral Home, with a memorial reception scheduled for the spring. In typical Pete style, his last words were a gentle, affectionate goodbye: “You take care now, be good, love ya.”

His legacy lives on in the countless athletes he coached, the families he touched, and the community that remembered him as a humble, kind, and inspiring figure.