A Fixture in Wiscasset
This spring, John "Johnny" Merry will retire as Director of Facilities and Transportation for the Wiscasset School Department, closing out a career that began in 1998 — though his connection to the schools stretches back much further.
Johnny graduated from Wiscasset High School in 1975. His mother, Anne, father, Gordon, and extended family attended the same schools. Long before he was responsible for the buildings, he was a student in them — walking the halls, riding the buses, sitting in those same classrooms.
When Maine Yankee closed and his position there ended, an opening at the school department came at just the right time. "It seemed like it might be a good fit," he said. What followed was nearly three decades of steady service.
When Johnny started, enrollment topped 1,200 students, and each of the three school buildings had five custodians on staff. Over time, enrollment statewide declined and budgets tightened. Today, seven custodians maintain both Wiscasset Elementary School and Wiscasset Middle High School. Through it all, the goal stayed the same: keep the doors open, the buses running, the grounds maintained, and the buildings clean.
Johnny managed maintenance operations, long-term planning, and transportation. During Wiscasset's years in RSU #12, he oversaw 10 facilities and a fleet of buses and vans across multiple towns. That meant knowing each building inside and out — what needed immediate attention and what could wait. "Organization was slow," he said. "But in the end, each location had a clear expectation and a plan."
He helped guide the district through the 2018 energy improvement project, which continues to reduce operating costs. When an aging chair lift at Wiscasset Elementary School failed, he applied for a Revolving Renovation Grant through the Maine Department of Education. The award covered approximately 30 percent of the total project cost, and he oversaw installation of a new elevator to restore ADA access.
Even with the director's title, Johnny was never someone who stayed behind a desk. On warm afternoons, it wasn’t unusual to find him on the fields at Wiscasset Middle High School, the mower humming as he helped get the grounds ready for games and practices. If something needed doing, he stepped in. When facilities work is done well, nobody notices — and that’s usually a sign everything is running exactly as it should.
Some of Johnny's most important work happened long before the school day began.
In addition to overseeing transportation, he spent years driving a Special Education van. He got to know the students on his route — their routines, their personalities, the small details that matter when you see someone every morning.
"Getting to know the kids and helping them get through their day," he said. "That's something I'll always remember." One student, in particular, left a lasting impression. When she moved away before the school year ended, her father later returned with several paintings she had made and asked that they be given to Johnny. They still hang in his office — bright reminders of the bonds built during the simple routine of daily drop-offs and pick-ups. That gesture says so much about who Johnny is: kind, caring, and genuinely invested in the kids he works with.
Winter mornings brought a different kind of responsibility. When storms rolled in, Johnny was often out in the earliest hours, driving back roads in the dark to assess conditions. Those early runs helped inform the Superintendent's decision to delay or cancel school. There was no spotlight on that work — just careful judgment. Families depended on those calls being made thoughtfully, and Johnny took that responsibility seriously.
Around Wiscasset, most people simply call him Johnny, and this year marks his 51st year with the Wiscasset Fire Department, where he serves as Deputy Fire Chief. Public service runs in the family — his father, Gordon, brother, Timmy, and nephew, TJ, have all served as Fire Chiefs in Wiscasset. He has also served on the town's Budget Committee and the Wiscasset Water District Board of Trustees. Whether in turnout gear, in the bus yard, on the athletic fields, or checking the facilities, he has built a reputation for showing up and being dependable.
Johnny and his wife, Mary Lou, have been married 25 years. They have two children and two teenage granddaughters who keep them busy with activities, along with a dog and two cats that round out a household that rarely feels quiet.
Retirement will bring camping trips, train rides to Boston, Bruins games, and more time with family — including their four-legged members.
Asked what advice he would offer the person stepping into his role, Johnny kept it simple. "Think quickly. Be patient. Use the expertise of your staff. And get good at solving problems." No two days are ever the same, he said. Something always comes up.
The Wiscasset School Department extends its sincere thanks to Johnny for 27 years of dedication to students, staff, and the community. His institutional knowledge — built from decades of understanding how the buildings function, how transportation flows, and how to respond when things go wrong — helped guide the district through many changes.
Johnny will be missed not because he sought recognition, but because he provided consistency. When something needed attention, he handled it. For nearly three decades, the schools could count on him, and in a town like Wiscasset, that matters. Thank you Johnny!