Eugene A. Mawhinney, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Maine, died at Bangor, Maine on June 24, 2006. He was 84 years old. Gene Mawhinney served the department of political science and the people of Maine for some 35 years as a faculty colleague, as a teacher of American government and especially of constitutional law, as a mentor to two generations of Maine's pre-law students, and as a valued and long-serving advisor to Maine's state government.
Gene was born in Jonesboro, a small town in Down East Maine, on October 14, 1921. Following World War II service in the Army's Signal Corps and later in its information and education division in Europe, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in education at the University of Maine in 1947. There followed a Master of Arts in history and government two years later. From Maine he moved to Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) as an associate professor of political science from 1951 to 1955, when the University of Illinois awarded him a Ph.D. in political science. Four years at Elmira College followed, in which Gene rose to the chair of the division of social sciences. But Maine's lure proved irresistible. Gene returned to the University of Maine as an associate professor of government in 1959. He was raised to the rank of professor in 1963. In 1966, the department of history and government was split, whereupon Gene assumed the chair of the new department of political science. He held this position for nine years, during which time the department grew from eight to 14 members. In his first year as chair, Gene helped found the department's chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha. Gene remained a full time member of the department until his retirement in 1990.
Gene Mawhinney's greatest contributions lay in his work with students. He and his classes in American government and constitutional law quickly gained a reputation for fairness, but Gene's standards were rigorous. Law school held few terrors for the students who had succeeded in Gene's courses. Many of Maine's lawyers and judges are indebted to Gene for introducing them to the law, and for instilling in them the discipline, self-assurance, and work ethic they needed in law school and beyond. Altogether, Gene counseled more than 800 pre-law students over three decades. The university recognized Gene's teaching with its Distinguished Maine Professor award in 1982. After his retirement, Gene continued his pre-law advising for another 10 years.
Gene's devoted service to his university, department, and, above all, to his students attracted attention beyond the university. Gene advised Maine's state government on its 1971 reorganization. Three governors appointed him to the Maine Judicial Council, which he served for 16 years. In 1987, Gene received the Maine State Bar Association's Distinguished Service Award. Although Gene was not a lawyer, his work with law students earned him an entry in Who's Who in American Law.
Gene's retirement was active and productive. In addition to his pre-law advising, he found time to indulge varied interests that included studying and lecturing on Maine history, as well as lighthouses, bridge, and stamp collecting. His wife of nearly six decades, Anne Dowling Mawhinney, survives him, as do two children, Meredith Anson and Mark Mawhinney, and five granddaughters.
