Obituary for Paul Winfield "Pony" Colwell
WEST NEWFIELD – Paul “Pony” Winfield Colwell, passed away on Sunday, February 5th, 2023. Pony was born on January 24th, 1970 to his parents H. Janet Colwell (Weymouth) and the late Kenneth “Hoss” Winfield Colwell. He was born at Goodall Hospital in Sanford, ME, and was a lifelong resident of West Newfield.
Pony attended public schools and graduated from Massabesic High School in 1988. At the age of 14, Pony started as a junior firefighter on Newfield Fire Department and would continue to be an active member of Newfield Fire and Rescue for over 38 years. Pony was an active member for 29 years of 107 Day Spring Masonic Lodge in West Newfield. He also worked for Moulton Lumber in West Newfield for over 18 years.
On Fire and Rescue, Pony served in every position and committee on the department in his tenure; All Addressing Committee 1996-1999, Civil Defense Coordinator 1990 and 1996-2006, and Fire Chief 1993-2003. He started on the Finance Committee in 2010, and served as Secretary for Rescue beginning in 2021. Pony was the Primary member for most committees for both fire and rescue, the driver and operator for Fire and Rescue, and also was a dispatcher for York County dispatch. He was the youngest fire chief in the State of Maine to be appointed at the age of 23.
Pony devoted his life to helping others. He was the type of person to lend a hand and give the shirt off his back. He was well-known around town often driving around in his pick-up truck, running from one thing to the next, whether it be an errand to help someone out, or responding to a call. He knew everyone and the car’s they drove as he passed by, always giving them a wave.
Pony was a caring and loving husband to his wife of 18 years, Tina Colwell, and proud father to his two daughters, Samantha Colwell and Shauna Crowley. He shared a passion and interest in hunting, often spending crisp fall days walking in the woods with his wife Tina and daughter Sam. He was so proud of Sam when she got her first deer. He also loved to spend time by the water, and shared a passion for fishing with Sam. He took pride and was so proud of his family, sharing updates and accomplishments with friends.
Most recently he was so proud of Sam entering into the Welding program at Sanford Regional Technical Center, and with Shauna graduating from college and starting her career in Human Resources.
Pony’s most recent hobby and passion was taking pictures of nature, sunsets, and animals, and sharing with his family and friends. He grew to love and fed the family of deer that would come to his front yard each day, snapping pictures and sharing them online for his friends to see. He also loved to watch the birds in the yard or out the kitchen window, noting which ones visited for the day. Pony was an avid sports lover, whether it was sitting on the sidelines watching soccer or basketball as Shauna and Sam played sports growing up, or catching the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots game on TV.
Pony loved his coffee. He was a daily customer at the New Deal General Store in Wakefield, NH, often arriving before the coffee was even brewed. From there he would go home and brew a pot to enjoy with Tina, and also on many occasions enjoy a cup with neighbors with whom he grew close with.
Pony is predeceased by his father Kenneth “Hoss” Winfield Colwell. He is survived by his mother, H. Janet (Weymouth) Colwell, his wife Tina, and daughters Samantha and Shauna; his sister Linda and her husband Mark Hebert of Rochester, NH; his brother Bruce “Boo-Boo” Colwell and his wife Debbie of West Newfield; his sister Sue Cayer of Manchester, VT; his Uncle Louis and his wife Pat of Shapleigh; and many cousins, nieces, nephews. He is also remembered and cherished by so many friends in the community.
Visiting hours will begin on Friday February 10th from 5-8 pm at Line Elementary School, located at 818 Water Street, Newfield, ME, 04095. Funeral services will be held on at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 11th at Line Elementary School. Please feel free to bring a photo of Pony and/or memory to post or share with the family.
Flowers can be sent to the Newfield Fire Department, located at 85 Water Street, West Newfield, ME, 04095.
Online condolences and tributes may be shared at Pony’s Book of Memories at
www.bibbersautumngreen.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Bibber Memorial at Autumn Green, 47 Oak St.,
in Alfred.
To Zoom the service for Pony you may log on to:
https://www.facebook.com/199109023467656/posts/pfbid0zd9Sn5twEej4zp51UT6i82fEJMWg5L4P59F9VQbgXt9w9dr26tfQsqqU3ugGJDsYl/?mibextid=cr9u03
Pony attended public schools and graduated from Massabesic High School in 1988. At the age of 14, Pony started as a junior firefighter on Newfield Fire Department and would continue to be an active member of Newfield Fire and Rescue for over 38 years. Pony was an active member for 29 years of 107 Day Spring Masonic Lodge in West Newfield. He also worked for Moulton Lumber in West Newfield for over 18 years.
On Fire and Rescue, Pony served in every position and committee on the department in his tenure; All Addressing Committee 1996-1999, Civil Defense Coordinator 1990 and 1996-2006, and Fire Chief 1993-2003. He started on the Finance Committee in 2010, and served as Secretary for Rescue beginning in 2021. Pony was the Primary member for most committees for both fire and rescue, the driver and operator for Fire and Rescue, and also was a dispatcher for York County dispatch. He was the youngest fire chief in the State of Maine to be appointed at the age of 23.
Pony devoted his life to helping others. He was the type of person to lend a hand and give the shirt off his back. He was well-known around town often driving around in his pick-up truck, running from one thing to the next, whether it be an errand to help someone out, or responding to a call. He knew everyone and the car’s they drove as he passed by, always giving them a wave.
Pony was a caring and loving husband to his wife of 18 years, Tina Colwell, and proud father to his two daughters, Samantha Colwell and Shauna Crowley. He shared a passion and interest in hunting, often spending crisp fall days walking in the woods with his wife Tina and daughter Sam. He was so proud of Sam when she got her first deer. He also loved to spend time by the water, and shared a passion for fishing with Sam. He took pride and was so proud of his family, sharing updates and accomplishments with friends.
Most recently he was so proud of Sam entering into the Welding program at Sanford Regional Technical Center, and with Shauna graduating from college and starting her career in Human Resources.
Pony’s most recent hobby and passion was taking pictures of nature, sunsets, and animals, and sharing with his family and friends. He grew to love and fed the family of deer that would come to his front yard each day, snapping pictures and sharing them online for his friends to see. He also loved to watch the birds in the yard or out the kitchen window, noting which ones visited for the day. Pony was an avid sports lover, whether it was sitting on the sidelines watching soccer or basketball as Shauna and Sam played sports growing up, or catching the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots game on TV.
Pony loved his coffee. He was a daily customer at the New Deal General Store in Wakefield, NH, often arriving before the coffee was even brewed. From there he would go home and brew a pot to enjoy with Tina, and also on many occasions enjoy a cup with neighbors with whom he grew close with.
Pony is predeceased by his father Kenneth “Hoss” Winfield Colwell. He is survived by his mother, H. Janet (Weymouth) Colwell, his wife Tina, and daughters Samantha and Shauna; his sister Linda and her husband Mark Hebert of Rochester, NH; his brother Bruce “Boo-Boo” Colwell and his wife Debbie of West Newfield; his sister Sue Cayer of Manchester, VT; his Uncle Louis and his wife Pat of Shapleigh; and many cousins, nieces, nephews. He is also remembered and cherished by so many friends in the community.
Visiting hours will begin on Friday February 10th from 5-8 pm at Line Elementary School, located at 818 Water Street, Newfield, ME, 04095. Funeral services will be held on at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 11th at Line Elementary School. Please feel free to bring a photo of Pony and/or memory to post or share with the family.
Flowers can be sent to the Newfield Fire Department, located at 85 Water Street, West Newfield, ME, 04095.
Online condolences and tributes may be shared at Pony’s Book of Memories at
www.bibbersautumngreen.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Bibber Memorial at Autumn Green, 47 Oak St.,
in Alfred.
To Zoom the service for Pony you may log on to:
https://www.facebook.com/199109023467656/posts/pfbid0zd9Sn5twEej4zp51UT6i82fEJMWg5L4P59F9VQbgXt9w9dr26tfQsqqU3ugGJDsYl/?mibextid=cr9u03